The Truth and What Remains
by Snivylord1
Summary: Louis, Hugo, and Emma had never known their dad. Their mom likes to avoid the story even though Louis has wondered about his dad for his entire life. Adrien had lost someone dear to him 15 years ago, but what he doesn’t know what happened, or what Gabriel did to Marinette. However, the time is coming when Marinette can’t hide what happened and the couple meets again.Modern Child AU
1. Prologue:ASingleQuestion

Such a long overdue prologue! Sorry again guys for not making Louis' situation clear in the first chapter, there should be some more context around it. I am posting this before the posting of Chapter 4: Money's One Thing, A Life's Another because it is a lot easier to write and I already got the structure down for how I want this to go, so enjoy! Although, after I post this prologue, Chapter 4 will come out and I'll be taking a short break to catch up on studies because I need to prioritize other things ahead of my hobby, writing, which I have so much fun doing. I will be definitely continue working on this story because I believe this story has great potential. I have another writer to thank for helping me add a different twist this type of story (with Adrinette's future kids and what different situations they can get into)and to make it into my own personal story that has completely different events. Thank you again for reading and enjoy the prologue! ~SnivyLord

It was something he always noticed every time he finished school for the day. There were other people, just like him, who had their own mom and dad. That was something that Louis noticed was missing from his family, he saw that dads make their children and the mom happy. It was something he wanted for his mom, she was alone and she only had him. Louis always felt like it was within his responsibility to make his mom happy, he was the one who brought light back into her life. She had done so much for him , and all by herself, it was... saddening. One day, Louis spotted his mom waiting for him by the gate and he happily ran over to her.

"Hi Maman! How was your day?" Louis asked happily as Marinette returned his happiness by lifting him up and kissing his cheeks.

"It's usually me who asks you that first, my day has been great! How was yours?" Marinette asked as Louis wore a complacent smile on his face. Louis eyed the other students leaving the school and noticed that either the dad or the mom or both picked up their kids. Louis then frowned and looked up at his mom.

"It's been fine, but can I ask a question? Something's been bothering me..." Louis sighed as Marinette squared down to meet him at eye level. Marinette brushed his blond hair out of his face to frame it and looked at him worryingly.

"What is it Louis? Is someone bothering you?"

"No... it's not that, but... why don't I have a papa? Everyone else has one but me, where did my papa go? Did he not love us?" Louis asked, feeling tears threatening to spill from his eyes. Marinette's eyes widened as she put her hands on his shoulders as if she was trying to think of an answer. Suddenly, Marinette pulled him in for a hug and Louis snuggled and cried into her shoulder.

"No... Louis, it wasn't that your father doesn't love you... of course he does, he would have loved you and me with all his heart. It was just... fate and the timing when we had you was not the best time for him. So I had to raise you alone, but I want you to understand something Louis," Marinette explained softly to her son, who nodded into her shoulder and sucked up the tears as he looked off into the distance, "He doesn't hate you and one day, you will have that family that you always dreamed of, I promise."

"Does he even know I exist? If he really loved us Maman, he would have stayed," Louis wondered aloud, making Marinette hug him tighter.

"I know, he would have, but you have to understand Louis, sometimes in life, life gets so difficult to the point where you have to sacrifice something precious to keep moving in life. When it came to your father, there was too many forces, like those evil villains you watch in those cartoons? He couldn't fight them all, and so he had to sacrifice something precious to protect both us and himself. And that was knowing of you, I'm so sorry Louis, I hope you understand," Marinette whispered into his ear. Louis let out a small smile as he continued to snuggle into his mom's neck.

"Yeah... I understand... not really though, but I understand the bad guy part! Maman, you can promise that Papa will come back to us one day right? And we can be a family? Cause I want you to be happy too," Louis whispered back, making Marinette smile and reply with an everlasting impression.

"I promise... how did I get so lucky to have you as my son?"

"No Maman... I'm the lucky one."

Papa... I know you're somewhere out there. When you finally get the chance to set things right, come home, and I promise that I'll tell you all the stories that made up my life until I meet you someday. I can tell Maman loves you just as much as me and when you finally meet Maman and I again... I hope you'll tell me all the stories that made up your life until you met me and I promise that I will listen to every word. Maman's waiting for you... and I'm waiting for you too.


	2. Chapter1:AWindowForMemories

Chapter 1: A Window for Memories

Louis's POV

Another day, another time to remember the question I had asked over the years. I can't remember the last time my mom gave me a real answer to such a short question with such a complicated answer: Why don't I have a dad? I've asked that question for as long as I could remember. Back to when I first started school and I saw kids like me, but they had a mom and a dad, but I only had one, and I always wondered why that is. I'm fourteen and I still don't have an answer. Although, I can't say that the question is always the first thing on my mind. That hole in my heart was always filled by my mom, you may know her as Marinette Dupain Cheng, and my two younger twin siblings, Hugo and Emma. My mom told me that my younger siblings have the same biological father as me, even though she hasn't seen human contact in like 15 years. I opened my eyes to the familiar arrangement of furniture that was my room and sighed as I heaved my body upright and sat there, rubbing my eyes and straining to keep my eyes open. Was it a school day? I narrowed my eyes at the calendar at the other side of my room and deducted that it was Friday, well, at least it was the last day of the week. I hopped out of bed and dragged myself to the bathroom to brush my teeth. As I brushed my teeth like a machine, I took a good look at my whole self.

"Huh..." I mumbled through the toothpaste as I took my other hand and ran it through my blond hair to sweep it to the side. I took one last look with my sky blue eyes and lurched forward to spit in the sink and rinse with water. As soon as I was done, I checked the time and rushed to throw my clothes on. 2 minutes later, I found myself speeding down the stairs in the kitchen, where I saw my mom cooking breakfast and my two other siblings happily sitting breakfast. Emma noticed me immediately and called out loudly to me.

"Good morning Louis! Maman made eggs and French toast this morning!" Emma said through muffled bites of her French toast while Hugo rolled his eyes at her. My mom turned around with a happy yet slightly annoyed look on her face.

"Emma, what have I told you about talking with your mouth full, it's rude, we may love our food as French people to pieces, but we do not let it interfere with our speaking!" Marinette said firmly as she turned slightly to face me with a warm smile, "Oh good morning sweetie, why don't you have some breakfast before you go to school?"

"Sorry mommy," Emma mumbled defeatedly as she ate her breakfast quietly with Hugo raising his eyes are her, wondering why she went quiet all the sudden.

"I will take you up on that, thanks Mom!" I replied as I eagerly set myself down and helped myself to some much needed food. My mom, Hugo, Emma, and I always had these fun, proactive conversations despite our differences. Hugo especially, he's always been a quiet little brother, that's why he's the best at hiding. Emma and I could never find him. Emma is a real talker, she's extremely social, I think she's a queen bee at her school actually, except she's actually nice to her friends. Mom and I have this sort of bond that I can't really explain, it's sort of like, we understand and know each other to a point where we're practically best friends. It's kinda weird, being best friends with your mom, but for me, I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

"Hey Louis, what do you learn in high school? Is it fun there?" Hugo asked as he quietly wolfed down another bite of his French toast. I felt my eyes roll at that last part as I groan him an answer.

"First off, it's not fun... high school is a nightmare, and I'm telling you two this now since you're only eight, but it'll only get harder from there. Hugo, if you wanna know what we're learning... it's actually a whole bunch of subjects in separate classes," I explained, earning a look of content from Hugo as he nodded and spoke.

"Thought so, I did some research on high schools, they don't teach everything in one class like they do in 3rd grade... and practically every other grade up until middle school..." Hugo said blatantly as I and the rest of the family stared at him in slight bewilderment. He researched that? I swear, he knows more things than me and I'm 6 grades ahead of him.

"So!" Emma chirped gesturing to Hugo and herself, making Mom and I rip our eyes away from Hugo for a bit and pay attention to her, "So I heard that from my friend's mom's sister's daughter's younger sister who also goes to our school that her 2nd cousin, who also goes to our school, likes me! I'm so flattered! What do I do? I have 5 other really sweet guys on the list of potential rebound crushes, you know, after my last boyfriend?" I just sat there just trying to process what she just told me, but I did remember what happened with her last boyfriend. He made fun of Hugo's jacket and Emma broke up with him on the spot. I remember that day because when I went to pick them up that day, Emma was crying into Hugo's shoulder asking Hugo and I why she broke up with him. Aaaaahhh... Hilarious, I believe his name was Bartholomew?

"One, it's too early for you have a 'list' of rebound crushes when you're in third grade, and two! You never told me you had a boyfriend! I thought Constantine was just an oddly affectionate creep of a friend!" My mom gave the look to Emma, who just remembered what she said out loud and sank further back into her seat, "Young lady, what do you have to say for yourself? You're way too young to have a boyfriend!"

"Actually Mom, at her age, it's actually pretty acceptable. There are some people who get to the "birds and the bees" stage in middle school, it's insane" I leaned over and whispered to Mom, who looked at me incredulously.

"You gotta be kidding me, no way," Mom gave me a look of intrigue and slight surprise while she glanced as she glanced at her watch, "Oh guys, I gotta drive you guys to school before Mommy goes to work, if we leave right now, we'll be on time."

"Got it!"

"In a sec!"

"Yes Mommy."

I quickly ushered Hugo and Emma out of their chairs, set their backpacks on their shoulders, and gently pushed them out the door with my mom following me and locking the door to the apartment. All of us rushed down the ornate stairs of our apartment building and out into the parking garage around the corner. We all settled into our seats and off we went to school. Mom dropped off the twins first and I gave them both a hug, promising I would come pick them up after school. Mom then drove me to my school and gave me a kiss on the cheek, while giving me a short mental checklist of whatever reminders I had. I left the car with a wistful smile on my face as I marched on into school. Later on that day, when I was dismissed at the end of the day, I headed down the usual route down the street to pick up my siblings. We always had this routine where we'd do a bunch of things as we walked home together: we'd get a bite to eat, relax at the park, watch people get pickpocketed and saving the people who got pickpocketed. It was a sibling thing that we shared. However today, it felt different, as I walked down the street to my siblings' school, I felt this wave of unease creep its way into my stomach. I didn't exactly know what was bothering me, but I felt more cautious than usual. As I tuned out the disharmonious chatter that ringed in my ears, I quickly dismissed the feeling as stuck my hands in my pants pockets and continued on. I felt the wind add to my uneasy feeling and I realized the problem: I'm being watched. I can't explain it since there's tens of people in the street, but I know someone's watching me. I kept walking because I knew that if I stopped and looked around, the person watching me would know that I'm aware that I'm being watched. I guess I'll have to wait until the person reveals themselves, I suppose. I hurried on to Hugo and Emma's school, and soon, I saw the looming building in my sight. It wasn't an intimidating building, it was actually bright and cheery, the perfect place for my younger siblings to get their education. I counted the seconds until the school was dismissed, I then heard the familiar screeching bell for dismissal as I watched the children file out for the day. I waited until I saw the familiar mop of blueberry hair of my brother and the shining blond hair of my sister. When they saw me, their eyes immediately brightened as they ran to me and gave me a hug.

"Hey Louis! You want to hear about my day?" Emma chirped excitedly as she tugged on my arm. I smiled and ushered them along. Emma and Hugo each held my hand on the opposite side as we walked away from the school and onto the path back home. I nodded for Emma to continue and she went off like a firecracker, "So you know that boy that I told you this morning who had a crush on me?"

She looked expectantly at me while I noticed Hugo gave her a look of disdain, "Ummm... yeah?"

"So! I saw him today and I let him down pretty gently, saying that I wasn't interested and that if I were to like someone, I would have to get to know them first," Emma said like it was like a matter of fact. Hugo gave her an exasperated look and whispered to me.

"Trust me, our sister didn't exactly let him down as gently as she says she did," Hugo whispered to me, trying to be discreet as to not let his sister know, which he did a good job at. I nodded in agreement and continued the conversation.

"So what exactly did you say?" I asked as we headed into the park since it was on the way home. Hugo and Emma loved coming to the park in front of La Tour Eiffel, we come here almost every day after school. Emma flipped her hair and had a sweet yet smug look on her face as if this was something she was proud of.

"I said, and I quote; "Constantine-" Emma started but stopped when she heard me hold back a laugh and Hugo snickering and coughing into his sleeve to hide his laugh, "Yeah, I know, his name was also one of the reasons I let him down, I feel bad, he's a sweet guy, with parents who hate him enough to name him that."

The last part made me and Hugo let out a laugh as we struggled to keep our composure. Hugo regained his calm demeanor and asked with a small laugh, "Go on sis, tell Louis what you told him."

Emma giggled and waved her hand, "Yeah, yeah, I'm getting to that. Anyway, I told him; Constantine, I really am flattered but I don't like you in that way. You're a really kind and sweet guy, maybe a little egotistical at times, but your name is kinda a dealbreaker. This doesn't mean that I'm shallow as to base someone's attractiveness from their name, but it's just weird, and I hope we can be friends." Emma repeated the conversation back to us and I couldn't help but wonder aloud.

"So did you guys stay friends? That wasn't exactly the best way to let someone down," I remarked as we made our way out of the park and down another series of streets that would lead to our house. Believe me when I say that our house is literally like a 20 minute walk from Hugo and Emma's school. However, for as long as I could remember, our mom was extremely discreet and secretive about our address, so no one can find it.

"Well... no... he kinda got really offended from my... confession..."

"Thought so..."

"And kinda swore revenge on me and Hugo..." Emma chuckled nervously while Hugo gave her a stern glare.

"Why couldn't you have let him down any easier? Do you realize that he is the son of Chloe Bourgeois? The guy is going to make our lives a living nightmare! Mom told us of the evil things Mrs. Bourgeois did to her in high school, and I know it's rude to say that Constantine inherited her annoyingly entitled attitude, but it looks like he did if he's gonna 'swear' revenge," Hugo complained to Emma, who looked ahead, deep in thought, taking his words into consideration as it may be the case that this Constantine guy will be exactly like Mrs. Bourgeois. Mom told us stories of the things she's said and done in high school, I don't know how someone could be that mean.

"Wait... Constantine is Mrs. Bourgeois's son?" Emma asked, causing Hugo and I to face palm. Is she just realizing this now?

"Yeah she is! He practically brags about it daily, have you not been listening to him?" Hugo asked exasperatedly as I moved them along to the apartment building that was within sight. The building was fairly new. It still has its vibrant paint sheen on it as if it was just painted yesterday. The floors had a classy look, not too fancy, but it had an ornate look that just screamed France, and that was what I loved about it. It was a beautiful day, the clouds looked like wistful clumps of cotton candy and the sky looked like the blue in Hugo's eyes. As we entered the building and shut out the noise of street, I still had this uncomfortable feeling that we were being watched. However, I dismissed it the entire time because Hugo and Emma made me forget. I listened to the rest of their conversation about what to do with Constantine as I got out the keys to the apartment, unlocked the door, and stepped inside.

"Alright, I expect you guys to behave, do your homework, play afterwards, and call me if you need anything, I'm literally in the next room. However, please try not to call me since I have homework too. Mom'll be home soon, she's busy pitching an idea for a fashion line to a designer brand today. Pray that it goes well." I reminded them as we closed the door behind us to step into a colorful, cozy, and home sweet home apartment. It was quaint, but it was large enough to hold three bedrooms, which was unusual for an apartment. One for me, one for Hugo and Emma, and one for my mom. The living room was big and it had a sofa that was in a L shape, facing a moderately sized TV. The dining room was accompanied by a nice regular glass table with matching seats and the kitchen wasn't all that bad, it was a short hallway, but it had all the essentials for a kitchen. Those were to the left, straight ahead, pass the kitchen with a wall separating the kitchen was the hallway that had all three bedrooms. The whole apartment was a light peach color but the doors to each of our rooms were different colors. I don't why we made it so, we just did. Mine was light blue, almost like snow. Hugo and Emma's were a combination of fire red and teal, sort of in a Ying Yang symbol. Mom's was red and black, after her favorite animal: the ladybug. Throughout the apartment, there were a plethora of toys strewn about in the living room, no matter how many times Mom and I tell them to clean it up, and they do it, it always ends up being the same mess the next day, so we just stopped caring. Hugo and Emma nodded before heading into their room and me going into mine. Luckily, the walls were thin, sorta, so I can hear almost everything that goes on next door. I set my backpack down, took out my binder, and laid out the work I had to do for the next couple of hours. My entire life. The evening went without a hitch, I didn't hear any calls for help or anything from the twins, so I assumed they were fine. I just finished my homework for the day and I laid back exhaustedly in my bed. I turned my head so I could look at the picture that was on my nightstand. It was a picture of me, Hugo, Emma, and Mom when I was 10. I reached over so I take a closer look at the picture. It was a habit of mine, I always look on this picture when I finish my homework, it was a constant reminder of I didn't have: a dad. I have my mom's eyes and face, but I have blond hair, which I can rightfully assume I inherited from my dad. Hugo looked like a male version of our mom, he had the same dark blueberry hair and sky blue eyes. He was fairly skinny, a lot more shy than his sister and me, but he was more intuitive and observant than the rest of us. He was a lot more quiet when he was younger, but he got comfortable enough so he can be normal around us, he still hates socializing though. Emma was his complete opposite, she was active, social, a little bit of an involuntary flirt, and was more well rounded than him, personality wise. She has blond hair, like me, but she had green eyes, which I can only assume are from our dad. I continued staring at the picture until I heard the door open and I set the picture down and sat up to find Mom checking in on me. I saw her eyes flicker towards the picture and then back at me before speaking with a smile.

"Hey, the twins told me you haven't left your room ever since you guys got home. Is everything ok? I'm making dinner soon," My mom closed the door behind her and sat next to me on the bed, running her hand through my silky blond locks. I sighed and scooted a little closer to my mom's body.

"Yeah, just a little... preoccupied..." I murmured, with my mom still running her hand through my hair, but then she stopped and I felt her tense a little.

"I figured as much, I noticed you were staring at our family photo again... are you still thinking about it? Not having a dad and all?" My mom asked, resting her hand on my head. I laughed half heartedly and sat up, flashing my mom a small smile.

"Of course, you know me really well, it's something I think about everyday."

"I know... I'm sorry I never gave you a straight answer, I never meant to leave you so lost," My mom breathed out her regret that I could see laced in her voice.

"I know, it's not your fault, it's a sensitive subject, I don't mean to pry. It's just something I always wondered about. Our story?" I asked with some expectant hope in my voice. My mom sighed before clapping her hands together and turning to me.

"Alright Louis, I think you're at an age where you can understand and make sense of our story. I think you'll find it pretty funny, that is, if you wanna know our story," My mom said with a mystical yet happy tone. I felt myself straighten up and look at Mom with all the attention in the world as if I've been waiting for this story forever, which I have.

"Of course I wanna know our story! Don't worry Mom, you literally have all of my attention," I crossed my legs on the bed and looked attentively at my mom. This was it, the story that I've been waiting to hear for so long. Mom smiled at me before looking at the right corner of the ceiling, as if she was recounting the events.

"So I met your father in high school, I believe I did tell you his name: Adrien Agreste. You inherited his blond hair and his charismatic personality. Although you did inherit my face and wit. All in one beautiful child. Moving on. He was incredibly handsome, but I can't say we got off on the right foot, the first day I met him. It was a bad first impression, I thought he was a bully," Mom laughed to herself while tucking a strand of her blueberry hair behind her ear. She confirmed my suspicions though, I did get my blond hair from my dad. I listened on, enraptured in her story as time went on.

"Really? What did he do?"

"Well it wasn't his fault, but it looked like it was his fault. Chloe Bourgeois, you remember her right? It's been a while since I told you a story about one of the many horrible things she's said and done, but I'm pretty sure you clearly remember her right?" My mom asked as she turned to me while I immediately gave her a nod.

"Clear as crystal, who could forget?" I joked, causing my mom to laugh lightly, but she continued.

"So apparently she was the one who stuck the wad of gum on my seat, and he was trying to take it off, but in my defense, from the point from where I was looking, it looked like he was trying to pull a prank on me. I gave him such a hard time about it, I didn't realize how bad I made him feel about it. It... It was unfair, it was his first day of public school after being homeschooled for so long, and I ruined it for him," My mom sighed as I marveled at the new development. I never got to hear this story before and it makes me giddy inside hearing all of it, "That day, couldn't have gone any worse, for the both of us, but then, at the end of the day, while it was raining, your father came up to me and apologized one last time. It was raining, so I was forced to listen to him, but he was genuinely sorry, and he offered his umbrella to me. The caring and honest eyes captivated me, I could have stared at them forever. He then had to go home, but that day, was the day I fell in love with him."

"Wow... That's such a... interesting story, I'm glad I got to hear it. So what happened afterwards? Although... I am a little upset that you didn't tell me sooner," I frowned as I noticed the shadows framing her face before she looked at me with an apologetic look.

"Louis... I meant to tell you sooner... or at least, I meant to tell you everything one day, and today's the day. It's a extensive and emotional past, and I really just wanted to forget. But I know that isn't fair to you or the twins. A lot happened afterwards; heartbreak, bonding, a lot of funny situations. In time, your father and I became best friends, we both shared happiness, pain, loneliness, and so much more. My advances toward him always backfired but I never gave up on him, not even when his heart belonged to someone else," I felt a cold wave of blood pulse throughout my body when I heard the last sentence. My mom looks on at the empty space in front of her, as if my father was there.

"Dad... loved someone else? Who was she?" I felt myself ask before I even knew what happened.

"Her name was Kagami, she was his rival in fencing because they were both at the top of his class. I... was too late... I waited too long, and it was too late, they were high school sweethearts, and it just broke my heart because at the time... I wasted my chances, the window became smaller by the minute and I was too afraid," I hesitantly turned over to look at my mom and I saw tears lightly streaming down her face. I immediately wrapped my arms around her front and laid my head on her shoulder, slightly snuggling her comfortably.

"Mom... you don't have to say anymore if you don't want to, I understand,"I whisper into her ear as I felt my mom turn her head slightly to look me. I then raised my head to her face from behind her and wiped her tears away.

"No... you need to hear all of it, no matter how hard it is to say it out loud. Kagami, she understood him in ways I couldn't, or maybe it was because she spent more time with him than me. I thought it was all over, but... then came... that night.." My mom said mystically as I felt a warm yet chilling feeling reverberate throughout my spine.

"Which night?"

"The night where I would eventually become pregnant with you," My mom said quietly but I heard it loud and clear. I pulled away from her and leaned onto her side so she could bring her hand up and stroke my hair again.

"Oh... do you mind telling me? I'm really interested to know," I asked, and after a moment, I felt my mom nod and start.

"It was a week or two after I graduated high school, my best friend Alya decided to try to get me over Adrien and Kagami by setting me up on... pause for effect, 150 BLIND SPEED DATES!" My mom shouted with such vigor and passion that it made extremely happy and shocked.

"150? You're kidding."

"Nope, I'm not kidding Louis, 150 dates, 2 minutes person, 5 hours of pure pain and intrigue. There's some pretty interesting and weird people out there sweetie, I am just saying. Alya and I werked into the night," My mom put emphasis on"werked", stifling a laugh outta me.

"Damn Mom, I didn't know that you were such a player!" I joked, nudging my elbow into her shoulder. My mom laughed as slapped my knee.

"Louis, trust me, I wasn't trying to be a player, Alya was helping me move on from Adrien, I just didn't know that she would get 150 potential rebound crushes to obsess over. Obsess, was an overstatement, not even close sweetie, because I told you, there... are some weird people out there, so it started like this..." As my mom continued with her story, I felt my mom and I get whisked back to that night, like I was seeing what happened that night as an observer and through my mom's eyes. One thing I can say was that I loved her stories.

"Alya, why am I doing this again?" Marinette asked as she sat down at the cafe that was in her parent's bakery. The mood lighting was set and the refreshments were stocked, because it was gonna be a long night. Marinette rubbed the exhaustion creasing her eyes as she sipped her ice tea down. Alya came up to her with a frown and sat herself in the seat across from her best friend.

"I'm doing this for your own good, you have to get over him." Alya looked at Marinette seriously as Marinette set her glass down and looked at Alya wearily.

"Really? Is that what this is about?"

"Yes!"

"I see, I just thought this was another one of your schemes, so what is it this time?" Marinette asked, fearing the worst. She knew that her best friend does a lot of crazy things, but set her up on multiple dates? Marinette felt the array of evening lights cascade upon her face as she looked on at Alya with a blank look.

"Mari, you need to let it go, it's over, and I hate saying that out loud, but I have set up 150 BLIND SPEED DATES!" Alya ceremoniously announced, causing Marinette to snap up at her words.

"Wait what?! How did you get that many people!?" Marinette exclaimed, almost choking on her tea as she tried to regain her breath after coughing so hard. Alya patted Marinette on the back to ease her coughing. When Marinette regained the strength to look at Alya, she made note of the smug look on her face, the little foxy vixen.

"Hmmm... well I got guys in school who had a crush on you to cough up a good amount of confessions, threatened a good chunk of people to go on the blind date with you, asked a whole bunch of random guys on the street-"

"WHAT?!"

"By the way, if a sixty something year old guy comes in here for a blind date, give him a chance."

"WHAT!? Alya, you set me up with sixty something year old guy!? I know I'm nice but I do have standards Alya!" Marinette felt a wave of repulsion hit her entire body when she registered the last part.

"What? It's a pretty bad idea, I know, but the guy's freaking loaded, so maybe that'll make up for it?"

"Alya I don't want to date a guy just because he has money, that does matter yes, but it's a very small fraction compared to what I look for in a guy. He has to be able to stand up for himself, be kind, generous, humble, funny, easy to talk to and relatable guy. The money's not what makes relationships work Alya. You should know that, you have Nino! It's the connection you guys have, it's something I wish I had, but I don't..." Marinette poured out her heart through her angry outburst and felt tears rolling down her cheeks, "It's something I wish I had..." Marinette cried as she laid her head facedown in her folded arms on the table.

Alya placed her hands on Marinette's knuckles and sighed, "I know... I'm sorry, but just... send him away when he comes. Also, I know that Adrien and Kagami broke up but you're just too scared to approach him, it sucks, but I know how you just wanted to give him space. It was a pretty bad breakup."

"It doesn't matter, it's been weird...things between me and him. We... don't talk as often as we used to before, and honestly... I don't want to talk to him, what's the point of fixing something when it wasn't whole or even real to begin with?" Marinette said lowly, it was barely even above a whisper, but Alya heard and frowned. She's been this way ever since they broke up, how else is she gonna fix her best friend? By setting her up with different people of course, she just needs someone different, "We... just had some sick twist of a romance, but it wasn't real to him, it was just something he would do for a friend. The word 'friend' makes me wanna throw up, God I suck..."

"That doesn't matter! What matters is that I'm gonna cheer you up and makes things right again! Cause girl... it's kinda getting sickening watching you YEET yourself day after day..."

"I'm not sure if you're using 'YEET' right..."

"Doesn't matter, cause you're getting dolled up for the next 5 hours so you're gonna go have to get comfy in that seat, we gotta get you ready! Come on!" Alya exclaimed as she grabbed Marinette's hand, dragged her out of her seat and led her upstairs. 20 minutes later, Marinette reluctantly came back downstairs in her new look. She wore her hair in a side braid instead of her usual pigtails, she wore a maroon overcoat with a white silk blouse complimented by a clean black collar with a bunny bow. She had sleek black jeans and the wedges to match. Nino gaped in awe and gave a thumbs up while he was setting up the mood lighting for the speed blind dates. The light sorta had a subtle ambiance feeling that made it feel like a room filled with relaxing jazz music. It shone with passionate shades of orange and pink, like the sunset. Marinette shyly moved over to the seat where she was sitting before and noticed the big neon sign on the bakery window saying "Blind Speed Date Night! With the One! The Only! Daughter of the Patisserie Bakery!" Marinette felt herself flush with embarrassment as she sat herself down.

"Other than the blatantly exuberant sign, how much advertising did you do for this?" Marinette asked as she brushed a lock of blue hair behind her ear. Alya arranged refreshments on the table while she answered.

"Just enough, so even Adrien knows that this is happening tonight," Alya calculated the amount of promotions she made for the event in her mind. Marinette felt her mind snap awake as she gripped her glass tightly.

"So... he knows? Just... Great..." Marinette sighed, hanging her head slightly. Marinette watched as the sunset outside started fading away and the time came for the exhausting hours to come. Maybe this could be fun. Marinette watched as the time ticked toward 7 and before she knew it, she was being drowned in a sea of guys. Technically it was a really long line, but the bakery was set up so that she would have 5 people in at a time and talk to them individually for 2 minutes. That way she didn't waste too much of their time. So it began...

"No way Mom, you were actually serious about those 150 blind speed dates? You said you weren't kidding but I still thought you were joking, I thought you were just exaggerating for emphasis," I asked incredulously as my mom nodded as she smiled about that day in question.

"No, I'm dead serious, it was that many dates... okay so back to the story... There were some really interesting dates, and what I mean by interesting is either weird or plain... gross."

"Like who?"

"Well, there was this one guy, he was... interesting, but not in a good way," My mom started... Marinette felt the line start to build up as she looked the current guy she was with to see the tremendous line that was unfolding before her. However, for now, she had to focus on the guy in front of her.

"Hi there! So do you usually go on these sorta dates often? It is a little weird," Marinette apologized as the guy in front of her smile. He had a rugged look, had a slightly dirty undershirt and was wearing plaid. He wasn't doing so well for a fist impression.

"Oh don't worry about it, any place where's there free

food, I'm in!"

"All right...? So where do you live in Paris?"

"Ummmm... I don't actually live anywhere, I used to live with my parents but they kicked me out. Now I've been

living off the land and making do with what I have."

"So... you're saying you're homeless?"

"I like to live off the land and go wherever the winds take me..."

"Uh huh, just give me a sec, Alya! Did you know that you set me up with a homeless guy?!" Marinette harshly whispered as she leaned back to be within closer proximity to Alya. Alya snickered slightly and almost did a spit take as she eyed the guy that Marinette was with.

"Oh yeah, I think I picked that guy off in an alleyway somewhere, you should see his tarp house, it's almost a mansion," Alya whispered back into her ear, to which Marinette rolled her eyes. Even though she was a little desperate to move on, she had standards! She couldn't go out with a homeless guy! As much as she would have loved to judge it by character, she had no choice but to judge by living circumstances as well. Luckily though, as soon as the conversation began, it also ended. Marinette saw a little peach card signifying the number of the guy she had a speed blind date with, if she liked a person, she would leave a mark on their number and she would get an email of their contact info. Alya and Nino thought up of it, it was actually pretty smart. Although, just starting with the first one, Marinette could already tell, this would be a bad night. Marinette moved on to person after person, some were nice enough, some were not interested at all and they just came for the free food, and some were... downright weird. Marinette eventually moved her seat for the thousandth time when she came face to face with a rigid yet weirdly calm looking man. He had crystal blue eyes, so crystal, they were almost glass, and if you stared at them long enough, you would get really creeped out. Marinette sniffed the air and immediately scrunched her nose since the air around the guy was completely polluted with euro-trash body spray.

"Ummm... hi?"

"I've been expecting you... Marinette Dupain Cheng.."

"ummmmm ok? So tell me about yourself."

"Oh, the topic of the night isn't me, it's all about you..."

"Oh really? So... what do you want to know?"

"Anything that I don't already know..."

"Ok? So what exactly do you know about me?"

"To put it simply... everything..." The man before her whispered in a way where it made her wanna throw up. It was so creepy and bone chilling. Marinette fought the urge to puke and did a double take on what he said. He said he knew everything about her... although she didn't wanna worry, how much does this guy know?

"Ok? Where did I used to go to school?"

"Saint Francois Dupoint Highschool (not sure if that's right...)"

"Ok... let's see... as a joke, what's my social security number?"

"Oh that's easy, it took a while to get, but it's-"

"Don't say anymore! Oh my god..." Marinette felt herself shrink back in slight fear of the info that the guy before her possessed. He knew her social security number... isn't that grounds to call the police? Marinette discreetly leaned over to Alya who was behind her in an opposite chair while she distracted the guy in front of her with appetizers, "Alya!"

"What?" Alya asked as she turned her head to hear her better.

"This guy knows my social security number! I think this guy is a hacker... or a stalker... or a creep, or all of the above!" Marinette tried to say with a straight face but Alya understood as she whipped out her phone and dialed the police.

"Oh my god really? Ok, lead him outside, I'll call the police and stall him long enough for the police to come and arrest him without making much of a commotion." Alya nodded towards Marinette and the guy in front of them and Marinette immediately nodded and stood up, beckoning the guy to follow. It was tense, as if one slip of the tongue or one actual slip up could ruin the whole night.

"Got it."

"Oh my god... you actually had to try to get that guy arrested?" I asked as my mom recalled the event, and she nodded curtly as if that was all there was to it.

"Yeah, I had to get that guy arrested, and it went off without a hitch, you see, the guy was so into me and really was a major creep, he didn't notice that I was even stalling for time. For once, my charm worked and he got arrested before he even knew what happened," My mom finished as I had a perplexed look framing my face, "You look surprised."

"I AM! The night you did the "deed" with Dad was the same night you also got someone arrested, like what are the odds?" I wondered aloud as my mom blushed at my mention of the "deed," of all the stories I heard coming from her mouth, this definitely takes it, "SO? How did the rest of the night with Dad go?"

"Hmmm... well..."

Marinette scrolled through the list and almost slipped her elbow off the table when she found out that she was barely through half of the candidates and it was close to 10 o' clock. Marinette groaned as she took another card from the stack of blind date sheets and prepared to mingle for another two minutes. Outside, in the candlelit snow of the streets, small groups of people passed by the Patisserie to eat, pick up orders, or simply look at the wonder that was going on inside. One particular person who left heavy footprints in the snow and with a heavy heart, did all three. Adrien walked by the bakery and saw the giant neon signs hung out front and peered inside to see Marinette talking supposedly merrily with other people. Adrien stood, drawn in and frozen by what he was seeing, seeing Marinette going on two minute dates with other guys, it bothered him to no end. Although, things between him and Marinette have been quite strange after him and Kagami broke up.He felt as if, ever since that day, she's been trying to avoid him on purpose. Adrien broke himself out of his reverie and felt his legs drag him inside and to the opposite side of the cafe from where the event was happening and just sat at the counter. After a while, he heard a voice cutting through his thoughts.

"Dude, I didn't't think you'd show up here," Nino chuckled as Adrien lifted his head to stare wearily at his best friend.

"Neither did I, but... I just found myself here... Nino... I don't even know what I'm doing anymore," Adrien sighed as he asked one of the waiters for a lemonade, "Excuse moi monsieur, Je voudrais une limonade sil'vous plait. Merci beaucoup." The waiter nodded and walked away, leaving Adrien to rest his head on his hand as he craned his neck to watch Marinette.

"Dude... I know things have been a little weird between you two, but it's weird for a reason, I thought for sure you and Marinette would end up together, but you and that Kagami chick?" Nino sent Adrien a questioning smirk, who groaned at the mention of Kagami's name.

"Please don't mention her.."

"I'm just saying, I've known you for along time, and I could tell that you would always smile and be yourself around Marinette a lot more than Kagami. I've seen the way you look at her, it's a look you've given nobody else. It's love... " Nino got out a cloth and started cleaning a lone empty glass, as if he was that bartender you talk to in those movies when you're at a bar and at a really low point, you know, those movies. Adrien felt his brain and body lighten up at his words. This swirling, indescribable feeling he had whenever he was with Marinette, it was love. He was never sure of what it was before, and that's why he never acted on it, and they remained best friends for the longest time. Adrien felt himself crack the biggest smile he had in a long time, the smile returning his handsome features back to normal.

"Ah Adrien! It's good to see you here boy! Have you come to see Marinette?" Tom asked as he sidled on over from the handful of tables he served. Adrien smiled at Tom before turning his whole body around on the chair to face Tom and the blind date event. Adrien looked over Tom's shoulder to see Marinette laughing. The mere notion of Marinette laughing with another person on a date other than him made him feel empty inside. Adrien felt himself frown and sighed.

"No..., but in a way yes, I just want to watch her have fun and hang out with you guys."

"You know boy, Marinette wished you were here earlier... trust me, she's not having as much fun as you think she is. She's a lot happier with you, you know. We had to arrest someone earlier because a stalker knew some of her personal info," Tom whispered to Adrien, who brightened at his words.

"You had to arrest a stalker? That's a little funny. But Marinette wanted me to be here?"

"It's been weird between you two so she doesn't know whether to avoid you or not, but trust me, she wishes you were here, and you are! So what are you going to do?" Tom asked as Adrien continued to look longingly at Marinette, who still doesn't notice the object of her affections is sitting across the room from her, "If you must know boy, she feels the same way about you, if that wasn't obvious already." Adrien smiled appreciatively at Tom who nodded and went behind the counter to watch with Nino.

"I'll wait... I just need to talk to her alone..."

So then... hours passed, the time ticking close to midnight as the dates went on and on. There were laughs, and half hearted laughs, and times where Marinette wished the two minutes couldn't finish fast enough. Finally midnight drawed near and the last boy went out the door, Marinette laid her head down on the table and let out a huge groan. Alya couldn't help but finally relax her exhausted body against the chair and slump down.

"Oh my god... 150 dates... and not a single perfect match!"

"There were some people who came close, but they weren't good enough..."

"I think there was that one guy? Luka?"

"Date number 117? Yeah I remember him, ombre blue hair?"

"Yeah that's the one, he came close, but too bad, when he smiles he looks like he just came out of a horror movie or something. Or that one Baldi dude!"

"Yikes... he's a musician, older brother to Juleka, that was about it, but we had a good conversation."

"Yeah... so what about Nathanael?"

"Oh! He was so sweet, it took a lot for him to come tonight!"

"Yeah, remember how some people would call him 'Tomato at Its Ripest'?"

"Yeah!... Wow we were so mean... He was date number

86!"

"Too bad you only see him as a friend."

"Yeah, didn't he say he sorta has a thing for Chloe?"

"Seriously? Welp, we can cross him off the list, there were several other people but they didn't come close."

"Alya! What am I gonna do! I did this thing in the first place to finally move on from Adrien! But nobody's a match and I can't move on from Adrien because he's the "One" and I need to move on from his stupid handsome face, not to say that's he stupid cause he's really smart but stupid in a way- No! What am I saying?! That's so rude!"

"Wait... Marinette you only ramble about Adrien when he's nearby..."

"What?" Marinette mumbled as she started to lift her head to face Alya but a familiar voice cut her out of her thoughts and made her freeze.

"What was that about my stupidly handsome face?" Adrien asked as Marinette lifted her head to come face to face with his smirking face. Marinette immediately sat up straight and took on a goofy pose as she tried to straighten herself out, which Adrien chuckled at, "I hope I'm not too late."

"Oh my God! Adrien! I'm am so sorry about what I said, I don't know what I was thinking, your handsome face isn't stupid!" Marinette stammered as Adrien let out a light laugh and leaned in closer. Marinette then felt her breath hitch when she felt his warm presence get closer.

"Oh don't worry about it, I know what you mean, Marinette, how was your 150 dates?"

"Oh you knew about that? You know the reason why, I went on this crazy date night?"Marinette asked quietly as she felt Adrien pull away from her and sat in the seat across from her. Adrien frowned slightly as he had an idea of what it was.

"To try to move on from me? Yeah... I know... Marinette-" Adrien started but he noticed Marinette was crying slightly and he reached over to gently wipe a tear away from her face. Marinette looked up at him with an appreciative smile.

"Thank you Adrien, I hope this doesn't things any more awkward than it is already.." Marinette sighed as she continued to stare into Adrien's eyes and noticed there was something bright and warm about them, the way they looked at her. It was warm... lovingly... everything she wanted from Adrien's look.

"Well... I hope I might have the honor of being your 151st date," Adrien smiled as Marinette felt a new wave of warm blood pulse throughout her body. She couldn't believe what she was hearing: Adrien... wanted to go on a date with her?! Does he feel the same way?!

"Wait what?! Adrien... are you serious? You want to go on a date with me? Adrien... do you feel the same way?" Marinette asked with a little hint of hesitation in her voice, she was slightly afraid of Adrien rejecting her. Okay, REALLY afraid of him rejecting her. However, those doubts immediately dissipated when she noticed Adrien smiled wider and leaned over so their foreheads were touching.

"I'm sorry it took me so long to realize... the way I am around you, the way I look at you, the way I seem so much happier around you. I realized then that I loved you and I would be honored if I could be your 151st date," Adrien whispered as Marinette giggled as they both stood up and gave each other a big hug, channeling all their feelings into the embrace. Adrien snuggled her shoulder and whispered into her ear, "Although I hope I might get more than two minutes to show you how serious I am about how much I love you." Marinette felt herself smirk and snuggle into his firm chest.

"Hmmm... if you're lucky, I might let you have three minutes," Marinette said coyly making Adrien laugh and spin her around, making Marinette laugh heartily. They soon pulled away slightly so they could see each other's faces and Marinette giggled again," Don't worry you'lll get way more than three minutes." Adrien smiled big and pressed her forehead to hers again and pressed a kiss against her forehead.

"Thank goodness, cause I'm gonna need more than three minutes to take you on the most amazing date ever!" Adrien chuckled as they finally tore their eyes away from each other to see everyone who was still in the bakery smiling brightly and mischievously at them. Alya and Nino whooped while Tom watched his daughter with pride.

"Adrien! Do me a favor and take care of her okay?" Alya smiled at the pair as the pair looked at her reassuringly and bid the other people goodbye.

"Don't worry... I promise..." Adrien had so many things to say and do with the love of his life, he really wanted to spend some quality time with her and show her how he is going to be by her side, forever. However... nothing could have prepared the pair for what came next, they both truly loved each other. The date... was one of the best Marinette has ever been on, because she had Adrien with her. When the lotus flower blooms is when the beauty becomes the most vulnerable. When that flower bloomed that night, a child would eventually be born. Fate had a funny way of doing things, I can't really complain. That night where the flower bloomed with love and adversity would also be the night where the petals were doomed to fall off and disappear into the transparent depths of the water below.

"Wow..." Louis breathed, having a new found appreciation for his mom. Marinette finished the story, taking in a huge breath of air into her lungs as if she talked this entire time without breathing.

"That's the story from where you would be born, you already know the story about Hugo and Emma, it was... really... odd, I think you understand it better now." Marinette chuckled uncomfortably, Louis felt himself blush from embarrassment as he remembered that story from a different light than from when he was 6.

"I really appreciate you telling me the story, it was really sweet. For Hugo and Emma's story, OH man, it was an accidental artificial insemination, and it JUST happened to be the same father as me. Wasn't that insemination supposed to be for Chloe Bourgeois?" Louis laughed uncomfortably as Marinette rubbed her temples in frustration just remembering the story.

"Chloe... is obsessed with anything having to do with Adrien... even going as far as trying to inseminate herself with his sample, let's just say... she never figured out why she never got pregnant. The doctor, get this, had to inseminate her with saline. Because usually with these inseminations, there's only a 25-50 percent it would actually work, the doctor was hoping for Chloe to be ok with not getting pregnant with the 50-75 percent chance it wouldn't give." Marinette laughed half heartedly about the story. Louis nodded throughout his mom's mature explanation of the story, although he did have one question about it though.

"Why did you never sue the doctor?"

"Oh, I was going to, don't get me wrong, but I... didn't have the heart to, especially when I found out that the father of the twins was also your father, but you know, you three turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me," Marinette replied wistfully as Louis leaned into her shoulder, smiling goofily about what she said.

"Love you too Mom..." Louis whispered as he felt Marinette wrap an arm around him and kiss his hair. They stayed like that for a while, until the warm halo of the sun peeking through the window turned slightly orange. After that, Marinette and Louis walked over to the door and opened it to find Hugo staring up at them with inquisitive eyes.

"Oh! Hugo, Mommy's gonna cook dinner in a sec ok? But... just wondering, how long were you listening at the door?" Marinette squatted down so she was eye level with her son's face, who automatically smiled when she spoke.

"Oh... about long enough to research what an artificial insemination is, so that's how babies are made?" Hugo asked with an innocence framing his blueberry hair, Marinette and Louis immediately paled and freezed at his question.

"Shit... I never had to answer that question for 8 years... what do I say?" Marinette muttered under her breath, enough for Louis to hear but quietly enough for Louis to barely hear it, "That's only one way for how babies are made, but sweetie, I know you're a sponge and you love to observe and absorb information, but some info is not worth knowing until you're older." Marinette winced, praying that Hugo doesn't ask any further. Hugo tilted his head a little bit questioningly but then he broke into a smile and hugged Marinette.

"Ok Maman! I'll tell Emma you're making dinner, what are you making?"

"Hmmm... I was thinking something quick since I made you guys wait so long already, what if I make fried rice with lemon herb salmon, I won't put in any eggs since I know you're allergic Hugo," Marinette pondered as she ruffled Hugo's hair and stood up with Louis putting his hands on his little brother's shoulders and guiding him to where his sister was.

"Sounds good Mom!" Louis called as he greeted Emma. Hugo also called from the dining room as well, making Marinette laugh to herself to how observant Hugo was.

"So you'll be done in about 20-25 minutes Maman? That's about how long it should take to make that, considering prepping time and all!" She heard Hugo's voice call out from the kitchen. Marinette followed them to the kitchen and started on dinner, breaking up the salmon and grilling it in lemon and herbs and combining it with the rice and other seasonings to heighten the flavor. Soon, four plates of a good savory dinner were served and fun conversations could be heard along with laughs and sounds of spoons hitting plates. It was all in the good life of Marinette Dupain Cheng, although, it wouldn't be her life for long as the past can always be reopened and things will come to light that will change everyone's lives... forever.


	3. Chapter2:AChanceEncounter

Chapter 2: A Chance Encounter

The room was as clean and sharp as it was ever. The black never failed to compliment the white in a cold, sharp fashion. The room's changed from what we know of the room 15 years ago. There's a more professional and empty feeling to the room, the bed seems bigger, as if it was made for two people. There was glass furniture and the lone grand piano that stood in the middle of the room as if every object in that room was a spectator to the empty recital to which no sound was playing. The same person still lived in this room, as did another person. Thus was Adrien Agreste's room for a long while if we were to count years. It has been remodeled and is bigger than before but the feeling of emptiness remains the same.

"Adrien, remember you have that event at your old fencing institution today, and since we're both fencing champions, your old mentor thought to invite both of us as special guests, isn't that great?" A woman with a blue haired bob cut said as she helped Adrien put his blazer on. The man before her let out a chuckle before turning his neck slightly and replying.

"Yes Kagami, I'm perfectly aware, don't worry, we both got this in the bag, it's been a while since we've been to an event about fencing, let's have some fun with it!" Adrien turned around and Kagami straightened out his blazer, leaned up and pecked his lips, making him smirk.

"Alright then! Let's go!" Kagami patted him on the shoulder and walked out of the room leaving Adrien to linger for a bit before following her. Adrien felt his eyes flicker towards a picture he had on his nightstand. It was a picture of him and a certain bluenette. His hand was on top of hers, showing two charm bracelets on their wrists. They were smiling so brightly in that picture. He still had the charm bracelet, he still wears it, even if it's importance has weakened over 15 years without its other half of the pair. He wondered if Marinette, the girl in the picture, still had her charm bracelet. It's been 15 odd years... and it seems to be a distant memory now, but you couldn't get Adrien to stop wearing it, even if you tried. Adrien sighed and then went out the door, closing the memory behind him, to be reopened another day. He had a fiancée now, but it didn't hurt to remind himself of those days. He wonders how the bluenette in question is doing after all these years, if she's still alive that is. That, is very true, as our favorite bluenette is in fact still alive, but could be considered dead for better or worse.

Louis rushed to put on his teal sneakers as he hopped out the door to find Marinette and Hugo waiting for him outside. Louis then zipped up his navy blue jacket with gray around the collar and smiled at his little brother and mother.

"Louis, you sure took your time, our sister has that event for her fencing class today remember?" Hugo asked as the three started down the stairs and out the door. Louis rolled his eyes as he ruffled Hugo's hair.

"Yeah, I know, there was a famous fencing champion coming to her class right?" Louis inquired as Marinette unlocked her car and the kids got in.

"Hey Hugo, did Emma ever tell who exactly was the fencing champion?" Marinette asked as she looked in the rear view mirror. Hugo thought about it for a moment before answering.

"Hmmm... nope, she said it was gonna be a surprise," Hugo replied as they all tucked in their seatbelts and Marinette turned on the ignition.

"A surprise hmm? Oh well, I guess we'll know when we get there," Marinette sighed as the three of them headed down to the fencing institution that Adrien used to go to when he was younger for Emma's event/special class. The fencing event was held at Marinette's old high school, and they have fencing classes Monday's, Wednesday's, and Fridays after school. However, the event was on Saturday so everyone could take the day off. After 10 minutes of driving, Marinette finally pulled up into a parking spot and the trio exited the car and entered the building. There was a giant courtyard where the classes were held but today, there was a large rectangular platform added in the middle of the yard, "I'm guessing that's the fencing match platform for the special guest." Marinette scanned the tens of fencing students in the crowd and spotted her daughter's high ponytail in the crowd. Louis called out to her before she could though.

"EMMA! We're over here!" Louis called out, making the girl in question turn around and call back excitedly.

"Hey Louis! MOMMY! HUGO! It's about to start!" Emma called back as she ran towards the group and sat next to them as the event was about to start. Around the platform there are seats all around so you can spectate the event from every angle. Soon, a tall, strict man with a refined demeanor stepped onto the platform and cleared his throat. Many families were gathered with their fencing children to spectate the event.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, fellow students, thank you all for coming to the special event we have for you today. The special guests appreciate that all of you take the time out of your day to come here. Merci beaucoup!" The man announced as Marinette leaned over to talk to Emma without taking her eyes off the stage.

"Sweetie, I'm just wondering... who exactly are the special guests that are coming for the fencing exhibition today?" Marinette asked, calm but slowly getting anxious for the answer. Emma turned so she could face her mom with a big smile on her face.

"Oh Mommy! I forgot to tell you! The special guests are the fencing legends Adrien Agreste and Kagami Tsurugi!" Emma squealed happily, Marinette felt her blood run cold and she felt a seat scrape next to her and she found Louis staring intently at his sister in shock.

"Wait WHAT?!" Marinette and Louis said in unison, the outburst caught the attention of Hugo, who also moved his seat so he could face Emma. Marinette felt her hands grip the sides of her arms with a iron vice that could break her bones. Louis, Emma, and Hugo looked at Marinette worryingly as Marinette felt her sight blur immensely and zoom out until her peripheral vision went black and she could barely see. She could barely hear anything as she shut her eyes and felt tears rolling down her face, everything was just static with a few incoherent voices. It's been a while since she's had one... an anxiety attack, and a bad one at that. Suddenly she felt a strong set of arms grab hers and she jumped and felt her sight return to normal. However, she was still extremely shaky and anxious and she taking in deep, harsh breaths of air. She still couldn't pay attention fully but she could at least see her family.

"NO! Adrien! Please! LET ME GO!" Marinette almost screamed but she was quieted by whoever was in front of her with a comforting shush. She looked up to find Louis staring at her with a comforting fear. Hugo and Emma were also hugging their mom from both sides and she could see all their faces within her vision.

"Mom... shhhh... it's gonna be ok, I'm not Adrien, It's been a while since you had one of these. Are you ok?" Louis asked, rubbing his mom's arms, calming her down. It scared all of them, seeing their mom this way. This was Hugo and Emma's first time seeing their mom go through this, and it scared the living daylights out of them.

"Mommy? Are you ok? I'm sorry if I hurt you by saying their names," Emma sobbed lightly into her mom's arms. She felt so immensely guilty, she loves her mom so much and to think she did that to her mom. It killed her inside. Marinette immediately turned to hug Emma. Marinette kissed her forehead comfortingly and held her daughter close.

"No sweetie, it isn't your fault, you just didn't know. Those names just bring up a lot of memories that are best left buried for the time being," Marinette comforted her daughter, rubbing her back, eventually Emma pulled away from Marinette and wiped her tears away. Louis and Hugo smiled appreciatively before turning back towards the stage to view the performance. Marinette felt her stomach churn with anxiety, cause even though she got past her initial panic, she knew that Adrien couldn't see her, no matter what.

"Please welcome to the stage! Adrien Agreste and Kagami Tsurugi!" The stalky fencing instructor announced, causing Marinette to feel a wave of cold blood course through her and grip her arms again, although not as tightly. Marinette immediately felt Louis's hands on her shoulders, stabilizing her and warming her up.

"Thank you Louis," Marinette whispered as she felt her heart rate go back to normal. Louis smiled gratefully next to her and whispered in her ear.

"It's not a problem Mom, I'll always be by your side if you ever need anything. Just like I have been for the past 15 years," Louis whispered and hugged Marinette around the shoulders after, Marinette smiled and rubbed her son's hand gratefully. Soon, Marinette saw two people in elaborate fencing uniforms come up to the stand. They were both wearing helmets so she couldn't see their faces but she knew who was who. The taller figure in the black fencing suit with a green cape was Adrien and the shorter figure in the white fencing suit that has a shimmering pink glow with a red fencing saber was Kagami.

"As long as I don't see their faces...I'll be fine..." Marinette reassured herself as the fencing match went underway. Off in a short distance away from the Dupain Cheng family was a raven haired woman with a couple of neon pink highlights, watching the family from a solemn distance. Nathalie was still working for Gabriel after all these years and she eyed the family with an unreadable expression. She noticed the way Marinette reacted to Adrien being here and she didn't like it, not one bit. 15 years and the grip the past had on her was still just as strong. Even though she doesn't show it, she is very surprised to see Marinette here, although, she wasn't completely surprised by the kids being here. Adrien and Kagami struck with sharp, continuous movements, each strike more refined and deadly than the last. The lashes and strikes were so fast to the common eye, they were almost invisible. The only evidence that even supports the fact it was even moving was the arm movements. The saber remained invisible to the naked eye. The match went on for about 10 minutes and both fencers eventually stalemated and withdrew their sabers to a draw. The audience cheered and whooped as the fencers turned towards the audience and bowed in return. Marinette breathed a sigh of relief but that didn't last long as the fencers took off their helmets and Marinette paled as she saw them in all their glory. Marinette felt tears automatically running down her face as she saw Adrien's handsome face, it was just how she remembered it, although he did look a lot more masculine than before, she could still tell it was him. His jawline was more defined than it was before and he grew more muscular but still somehow managed to maintain his lean frame. His messy near platinum blond hair was still the same as it was and his electric green eyes seemed maintained its shine after all those years, "Oh Adrien..."

"That's Dad..." Louis murmured to himself as he saw his dad for the first time. Louis wiped away his tears with his arm and plastered his million dollar smile that he inherited from his father because he couldn't stop smiling, "That's really him..." Hugo and Emma stayed oblivious to this fact still, but they still watched Adrien and Kagami with the same awe as their older brother, although their older brother's feelings were vastly different.

"GIVE IT UP FOR THE FENCING LEGENDS ADRIEN AGRESTE AND KAGAMI TSURUGI!" The fencing instructor cheered as everyone stood up and continued cheering. Even Louis, Hugo, and Emma stood up and clapped for Adrien. Marinette was the only one who didn't stand up. The clapping soon ceased and everyone sat down as the instructor said there was to be an interview with the legends themselves shortly. Marinette tried her absolute hardest to not make eye contact with Adrien and she put on her dark violet floppy hat that covered her eyes from his gaze. On the hat was a white rose that was painted various light colors in random places around the petals to match the outfit she was wearing today. Marinette sighed as the interview began.

"Alright! Does anyone have any questions for Mr. Agreste or Ms. Tsurugi or soon to be Mrs. Agreste?" The instructor asked as several hands went up in the audience. Kagami laughed bashfully and hit the instructor lightly in the shoulder and kissed Adrien on the cheek. Marinette felt herself narrow her eyes at the couple but that was the only indication that showed that Marinette was even the slightest bit bothered by what she just heard.

"Of course... he would have moved on... I don't blame him... it has been 15 years... I guess I should be happy," Marinette murmured to herself, sucking in a harsh breath that hurt her chest after a long period of holding her breath. Adrien picked a hand that was far over to the left from where the family was sitting.

"How did you and Kagami meet?"

"Ahhh... that story, well one day, I was minding my own business in fencing class and I was sparring with a friend of mine at the time..." Adrien started but he felt himself stop for a moment with a feeling of remorse before continuing. Marinette knew at that moment that Adrien remembered that he was actually sparring with her , "Kagami came in here suddenly, demanding to fight the person with the best skill and I took her on, my friend refereed the match and when we got a touche on each other. The referee asked my friend who did she think landed the touche first. My friend said it was me and it basically broke Kagami. I remember later that day I comforted her about good sportsmanship when it comes to a debatable loss and it all went from there." Adrien finished with an audience approval as he moved on to the next question. The questions went on for a while with Adrien and Kagami taking turns answering questions before Adrien picked the last question. There was a couple of hands but his finger eventually landed on the hand of a 8 year old girl who eagerly had her hand up: Emma. Marinette, Louis, and Hugo looked at Emma with slight shock, but Marinette didn't think there was any harm in having Emma answer a question. After, this is the first actual conversation Emma has with her dad, ok... maybe something to worry about. Adrien had a big smile when he interacted with Emma, there was something about the 8 year old girl that he was immediately drawn to, he just didn't know what.

"Hi! Might I catch your name?" Adrien asked enthusiastically with Emma practically beaming in happiness, however when Marinette realized the humongous risk that came along with that question, it was too late.

"Emma wait!"

"Emma! Emma Dupain Cheng!" Emma happily replied with Adrien and Kagami widening their eyes in shock.

"W-w-wait... can you repeat that? Did you just say your name was Emma Dupain Cheng?" Adrien asked slowly and before Marinette could stop her daughter again, she replied.

"Yep! That's my name!" Emma confirmed with Adrien eyeing the crowd around the girl in question. Marinette immediately lowered her a little so he wouldn't be able to see her face and Louis closed his eyes and winced for what was coming, while Hugo had the calmest face as if he wasn't even bothered by the fact that their name potentially be exposed. Hugo was extremely far from dumb, he looked calm so Adrien wouldn't group the people sitting next to Emma together so he wouldn't put the pieces together.

"Alright... what's your question?" Adrien asked lowly, and Emma's face immediately changed from practically beaming to a slightly serious expression.

"Why does your name bring up bad memories for my Maman? A while ago, she had a panicky freak out and it really scared me," Emma asked with a serious expression on her face, Marinette knew she was doomed, she knew she couldn't stop Emma from asking these questions but this was the absolute worst timing ever. Adrien narrowed his eyes and raised one of his eyebrows questioningly, he's bound to figure out what Emma was talking about eventually. Marinette suddenly stood and raised her hand so she could pull down one of the sides of the hat to hide her face and she walked out of the aisle. Not a lot of people paid her much mind, but little did she know, Adrien noticed and eyed her every movement. Marinette heard Louis and Hugo call after her quietly but she kept moving and she strolled outside of the building. Marinette then leaned against the wall and steadied her breathing.

"It's been a while since I've been in a situation this bad... I just hope my quick judgement and thinking can keep my family under wraps," Marinette groaned, using one hand to rub out her eyes, trying to think of any possible way that she could get out of this without Adrien knowing who she was. Suddenly she heard a voice from around the wall she was leaning against, it was a voice she hadn't heard in a long time.

"It's been a long time Marinette... How have you been faring?" Marinette recognized who it was immediately: Nathalie. Marinette let a small breath of relief but there was no guarantee that Nathalie was here to help her.

"It has been quite a long time, Nathalie, I believe I saw you last when I exited the Agreste residence that day," Marinette whispered quietly, with a silent malice.

"Yes... then I assume you remember the terms of the contract? You took an extremely huge risk coming here," Nathalie said quietly as Marinette rolled her eyes, folded her arms, and stared off into the street.

"Yes... I'm aware... and also... I remember the terms clear as day... nothing could make me forget..." Marinette reminisced with a bitterness as deep as a black coffee.

"Good... I really hope you are careful about where you step, you could land in very deep trouble with Gabriel and I wish the best for you and your children," Nathalie sighed as she felt Marinette shift against the wall and she replied with a cold tone.

"Really? Then let me ask you this... why are you still working for that son of a bitch then? The "best" as you call it, is me and my children freed from that wretched contract and Adrien fulfilling his role as their father. Alas, there's such a slim chance of that even happening." Marinette replied coldly, causing Nathalie to stiffen slightly in shock but her shoulder soon relaxed.

"I think you're well aware of the reason why I continue to work for that man..."

"You already sold your soul to him so what does it matter? A devil's bargain... you should have known better than to stay with him, you're an intuitive woman, I bet you knew exactly the type of man he was from the beginning, why didn't you break free sooner?" Marinette asked sympathetically, turning her head slightly so she could see Nathalie's reaction.

"It is as you say, I have sold my soul to him, I fear I might be doomed for an eternity... I have no say in what he does. He was always an "the ends justify the means" type of person, he doesn't care how he does it, but just the results matter to him. That's why you have to be careful Marinette, one step out of line, and you will meet him again... and I know how much you loathe seeing him," Nathalie warned, with Marinette feeling a cold chill down her spine. She always had this unsettled feeling when she was around either Gabriel or Nathalie, but around Gabriel, it was times a million.

"I'm aware... Nathalie... I know what I'm doing... I'm not afraid of him, I've met him enough times to know that keeping face is of utmost importance, cool, collected, almost emotionless. Any sign of emotion is weakness in his eyes, I know that quite well Nathalie. Don't. Underestimate me," Marinette said lowly, looking out of the corner of her eye to see Nathalie nodding.

"Good then... may we meet again Ms. Dupain Cheng..." And with that, she was gone. Marinette listened for the footsteps that were growing quieter to completely cease before she noticed people walking out of the school courtyard.

"The event must be over then..." Marinette sighed as she decided to sneak back into the building to find her kids. Marinette turned in the opposite direction of the main entrance and and walked off to the side of the building where there was a garden and she could enter through the side entrance that way. Marinette felt her footsteps against the pavement with her silver high heels, they weren't even that high, like barely two inches? Marinette soon entered the luscious courtyard garden and made her way through the maze to the side entrance. Even though it's been a while, she still knew the garden like the back of her hand, there isn' a lot of people who go through here. Soon she found the courtyard door and when she tugged on it, she discovered it was locked. Huffing, Marinette lifted one leg onto a high ledge on the fence and with all of her strength, she flipped herself over, pushing off from her leg, landing gracefully on the other side with a thud that was a little on the louder side because of her heels. Her hat also fell off in the process and she managed to grab it out of midair and place back on her head in a clean fashion. Marinette sighed and smiled to herself in pride.

"All those self defense lessons and training have been paying off! I literally flipped myself over a fence! Go me!" Marinette whispered proudly to herself as she turned around and saw her worst case scenario. Adrien and Kagami were walking alongside each other in the hallway and she was within their range of sight if they decided to look left. Panicking, Marinette quickly then hid behind a column, but even though that hid her, that didn't hide the fact that she made sound with her heels. Adrien and Kagami quickly noticed this as they stopped talking and looked towards the sound when she moved. Marinette then heard Adrien's voice:

"Who's there?"

"I know I heard footsteps..."

"Let's go check..."

"Crap..." Marinette silently cursed as she didn't dare to peek out from behind the pillar and she heard the footsteps getting closer. She knew if she stayed, she was definitely gonna get caught, and if she ran, there was a possibility of her escaping if she could outrun both of them, which she highly doubts she can do. They're both more fit than her, they'd be able to catch her. However... a chance is better than no chance at all, she learned that the hard way. Marinette knew what she had to do, but she had to buy some time. Marinette scanned around quickly and she found a stone that looked big enough to make a coherent sound. Marinette quietly picked up the stone and she aimed for the side where she thinks Adrien and Kagami are coming opposite from. She quickly tossed it and it created another series of thuds that sounded a bit similar to hurried footsteps.

"What was that?"

"I think those were footsteps coming from over there..."

"Really? But we haven't seen anyone move in this hallway..."

"I don't know Adrien, but I'll check over there, you check where we first heard footsteps, could be a burglar."

"Alright Kagami..."

"Double crap!" Marinette silently cursed again, she was able to shake off one of them, but not both of them. There wasn't anything else she could use. Marinette sighed and as she heard the footsteps get closer to where she was. It's now or never, she had to run for it. Marinette closed her eyes, prayed, and then, without a second of hesitation, she made a break for it. Marinette sprinted out from behind the pillar and made a mad dash down the hallway, and as she sprinted out, she caught a good look of Adrien's face before she decided to keep on sprinting. He looked shocked, and that was everything else she could read from him, she didn't bother to hide her face with the hat, so he would have been able to get a good look at her face as well. Marinette pumped as much air as she could into her lungs and sprinted as fast as her heels would allow her, which was pretty fast, they were low heels. She then felt two pairs of footsteps come after her and she didn't bother to look back, any second of hesitation and that would have been it. There's a good reason why she can't speak to Adrien... at all costs. She heard the calls from the two people chasing her, she wanted to stop but she couldn't. As she was running, she felt the air stream from her hands and that another hand was closing in on her hands. Marinette closed her eyes and ran even harder down the hallway, when she opened them, she found a turn onto another hallway, and she remembered that led back to the main courtyard where her kids were. Marinette stuck out her arm to latch onto the pillar that was supporting the archway of the hallway and spun into the hallway. Thing was, her pursuers were running so fast that when she changed directions, they didn't register it time and slipped as they tried to backtrack. Marinette laughed a sigh of relief and suddenly, she felt her phone ring. Quickly, she whipped out her phone to find that Louis was calling. She pressed accept and put it on speaker so she didn't have to hold it up. All too soon, she heard her pursuers on her tail again, and they were slowly gaining.

"Louis?!" Marinette said quickly into the phone, and she heard the worried discussion of her two other kids in the background, wondering where she was, Louis must have been holding it on speaker.

"Mom! Where are you?" Louis asked, but as soon as he heard his mom's pants into the phone, he immediately asked another question, "Mom, are you okay? You sound like you're running..."

"Running from what?" Marinette heard Emma ask and she heard Hugo give the funniest response, for an adult anyway.

"Probably from her tax audit monster?"

"Hugo... how do you even know what a tax audit is?" Louis asked wearily as Marinette let out a harsh laugh.

"No Hugo! I'm not running from a tax audit monster! Louis! Listen to me! I'm going come in from the right side, so when you see me running from Adrien and Kagami," Marinette explained, their names feeling thick down her throat, "Be prepared to run with me to the car! Louis, put your track experience to use! Get your siblings ready!"

"Oh my goodness! Really! Alright! On it Mom! I'll meet you in what?" Marinette felt Louis give a quick nod from across the phone and Marinette quickly answered, starting to get out of breath.

"30 seconds!"

"Ok! On it!" Marinette heard Louis hang up and she automatically focused on running to her kids, the finish line. Marinette took a quick peek backwards and saw Adrien was the closest to her. Close enough to feel his breath down her neck but she was far enough to where he can barely reach her clothing. 30 seconds couldn't come any faster, soon she raced into the courtyard where the seats were being packed away and the stage was still there. She couldn't see any sign of her kids when she heard a loud call of her name near the main entrance.

"Mom! Come on! He's almost gaining on you!" Louis called with Hugo and Emma jumping up and down next to him. They both had their hands to their mouths, calling out to Marinette, which gave her strength to keep sprinting.

"Mommy! You're almost there!" Hugo called out with Emma nodding and adding to the cheer.

"Just a little more Mommy!" Emma cheered as Marinette raced through the aisles and had the quick thinking to mess up the seats as she goes to make it harder for her pursuers. She took a peek behind again and she saw Kagami falling into her trap, tangled in the chairs. Marinette didn't feel any better because she felt her blood run cold again and she quickly asked the mental question: Where's Adrien?" Marinette looked ahead again and she barely registered what happened as she saw Adrien appear out of nowhere in front of her and swipe at her in an attempt to grab her. Marinette heard her children shout: "LOOK OUT!" and she immediately leaned back to where she slid under his arm barely and was about to fall from the momentum. Marinette slid past him and started to slip and fall on her back when she felt a pair of warm arms catch her and help her up.

"That was pretty lit Mom, I gotta admit, but we gotta go!" Louis smiled at Marinette with pride as they ran back to where Hugo and Emma were waiting. With all four family members in tow, all of them ran to the parking lot where they quickly located their car. Marinette whipped out her car keys, unlocked the car and everyone practically jumped into the car. Marinette jammed the keys into the ignition and turned it on. Marinette threw her hat into the back seat where Emma caught it and shifted the gear shift into reverse. When Marinette finally looked up, she saw Adrien and Kagami running towards the car and she quickly looked back and slammed into foot into the gas pedal. Luckily, there was no one behind them, and she pulled out like a maniac and drove away with her kids laughing hysterically. Glad this was a fun action scene for them, it was life and death for Marinette. Marinette watched as she left the school, Adrien, and Kagami to look off at them from their parking space. Marinette breathed a sigh of relief as she thought she had gotten away with it. Even though she technically did... she also sort of didn't and you'll soon see why.

Adrien's POV

What... just happened...? One moment, I was having an interview for fencing and the next, I'm having a high speed chase through a school after a mystery woman. I brushed away the dust and regained my breath as I relive what just happened.

Adrien's POV (Third Person)

Adrien and Kagami walked down the hallway after the interview ended, discussing the question that the little girl asked. It was the weirdest and most specific question they have heard, but also the most peculiar. The girl said that her name was Emma Dupain Cheng and he was instantly reminded of Marinette. Adrien thought to think that there are other people with the last name of Dupain Cheng, but that was when he realized that that last name came from Tom's last name and Sabine's last name. There was no doubt that girl is somehow related to the three, and if he had to guess, she's probably Marinette's daughter. The fact that Marinette even has a daughter strikes him even more odd even though he's happy for Marinette. Adrien never did actually see Marinette in the audience but that woman who left when she asked the question was suspect. He saw that she purposely hid her face and walked out of the building. Adrien was deep in thought until he heard a small series of footsteps over to the left. Adrien and Kagami automatically looked in that direction and saw the gate to the courtyard on the right. However, it did sound like somebody moved.

"Who's there?"

"I know I heard footsteps..."

"Let's go check..."

Adrien and Kagami drew closer to the pillar that was next to the gate when they suddenly heard a couple of thuds over to their left. Adrien and Kagami stopped for a few seconds to look in the direction of the sound and they both came to a decision.

"What was that?"

"I think those were footsteps coming from over there..."

"Really? But we haven't seen anyone move in this hallway..."

"I don't know Adrien, but I'll check over there, you check where we first heard footsteps, could be a burglar."

"Alright Kagami..."

Adrien moved closer to the pillar while Kagami checked in the other area. As Adrien drew closer he suddenly had the feeling that there was someone behind this pillar. When he finally drew close enough, he saw a figure dash out from behind the pillar and Adrien couldn't contain his shock when he saw her face. Her face was a very rounded oval that was more on the circle side. She had a slight tan but her skin was close to white. What he immediately noticed was her bluebell eyes and her blueberry hair, that hadn't changed, the woman wore it down but nonetheless, he knew who she was. Marinette continued to sprint down the hall with all her might with Adrien and Kagami right behind her. Adrien tried multiple to times to grab hold of her hand, but he couldn't. They kept running until Marinette suddenly turned into another hallway and both Adrien and Kagami slipped. Soon though, Adrien huffed and immediately got back onto his feet and started running after her again . He then heard a cellphone call off in the distance and he saw that Marinette was getting a call. He couldn't tell whether he was lucky that it was on speaker or not.

"Louis!"

"Mom where are you?! Wait... Mom, are you ok? You sound like you're running."

"Running from what?"Adrien heard another voice on the phone say, he was close enough so he could hear their entire conversation, even if Marinette brought it up to her ear, he could still hear it.

"Probably from her tax audit monster," Adrien heard another voice say and Adrien couldn't help but let out a small chuckle.

"Hugo... how do you even know what a tax audit is?" So there are a total of three kids speaking to Marinette on the phone, are they all her children then? Adrien assumed so but he had to keep reaching for Marinette.

"Hugo, I'm not running from a tax audit monster! Louis! Listen to me! I'm gonna come in from the right side and when you see me running from Adrien and Kagami, be prepared to run with me to the car! Put your track experience to use Louis!"

"Oh my goodness really? Alright! On it! I'll meet you in what?"

"30 seconds!"

"Got it!" That was the last thing Adrien heard behind he heard the phone hang up and Marinette sprinted even faster down the hallway. Kagami was right behind Adrien and eventually in 30 seconds, all three of them ran into the main courtyard and Adrien saw that Marinette was looking for her kids. Suddenly, Adrien heard a call by the front entrance.

"Mom! Come on! He's almost gaining on you!" Adrien looked over that main entrance to see a blond haired boy that looked to be a bit taller than Marinette calling out to his mom. Marinette had grown taller so he was actually getting close to Adrien's height and Adrien was tall. Adrien also saw two other kids call out to her, one of them was the blond haired girl from earlier and the other was a blueberry haired boy who looked the male version of Marinette from when she was a lot younger. They both looked about the same age, were they twins?

"Maman! You're almost there!"

"Just a little more Maman!" Adrien heard the kids call out, Marinette, if wasn't even more possible, sprinted even faster through the aisles that still had chairs and tossed them backward to make it harder for them to follow her. Adrien quickly ran off to the side and was about to cut her off when he noticed Kagami get slowed down by the chairs. Adrien then immediately made a sharp turn and was directly in front of her and she didn't notice him until it was too late. Miraculously though, she limboed and slid under his attempt to grab her and he turned around to see that her oldest son caught her before she could fall.

"That was pretty lit Mom, I gotta admit, but we gotta go!" Marinette and her son immediately rushed over to the other two kids and they made a dash for the parking lot. Adrien quickly followed them, with Kagami following quickly behind and they saw that the group had already gotten into the car and started the ignition. Even though it was pretty much pointless now, he still made an attempt to catch up with her. Marinette's car quickly pulled out and drove out into the street and out of sight with Adrien watching regrettably from the sidewalk, burdened by memories. Kagami caught her breath and leaned on his shoulder and sighed.

"That was Marinette I know... but she made such a desperate attempt to get away from us. She's smart, that second series of thuds we heard earlier, it was a rock, Marinette must have thrown it to throw us off because she was gonna get caught sooner or later. I wonder why she tried so hard to get away, did she not want to see us?" Kagami wondered aloud aimlessly into Adrien's shoulder. Adrien narrowed his eyes at the street in front of him. True... it did seem like Marinette didn't want to see them... like at all. What interested him more was Marinette's children, there was something about the three of them that gave him the feeling that he just had to get to know them. They all seemed like wonderful kids and whoever the father was, is lucky, even if he doesn't know it. How ironic indeed.

Later that night, Marinette sat tiredly on the sofa with a glass of wine in hand. Soon, Louis, Hugo, and Emma joined her on the couch and got comfortable. Marinette smiled wearily at all of them before turning on the TV to see something really shocking on the news.

"This just in! A Commotion was started at the Francois Dupont High-school where a high speed chase was taking place around the school! The incident has already been resolved, but who is this mystery lady that caused such a ruckus at the fencing event featuring Adrien Agreste and Kagami Riposte!" Nadia said as the rest of Marinette's kids gaped at the screen for what seemed like an eternity. Hugo was the first to laugh as Marinette looked wearily at the screen.

"They actually put this kind of thing on the news? What a joke!" Hugo laughed as he leaned into Marinette, who smiled and brushed her fingers over his hair. The rest of the family laughed after him, it was a pretty interesting day. Marinette gasped in embarrassment even more as they all saw the scene where Marinette messed up the chairs to slow down Kagami.

"Oh my god... they actually caught that on camera?" Louis asked as they saw Marinette slide under Adrien's arm and running with Louis, Hugo, and Emma out of the building.

"Yeah! Maman! Where were you after the event ended? We tried looking for you but we couldn't find you like at all!" Emma asked as Marinette laughed a little as she recalled what she had to do.

"Yeah, funny story, I was afraid to run into anyone, so I had to go around to the side of the building and enter in that way. Then I ran into Adrien and Kagami and had to make a break for it. Oh my god... I'm an adult but I still act like I enjoy getting myself into trouble like this," Marinette sighed as they continued to watch the rest of the report. Marinette stared aimlessly at the droning screen until she suddenly focused again and realized the danger of her being on the news might mean for her family. Marinette felt her eyes flicker constantly to the house phone on the dining table, like she was expecting a call anytime now.

"I think being an adult would be incredibly boring if you didn't have these situations. There's more to adulthood than being stuffy and mature all the time. I feel like you miss being in situations," Hugo mused as Marinette looked at him incredulously. Marinette than smiled softly as she nodded.

"Well said Hugo, but man... I didn't think this would actually be on the news," Marinette sighed as a ring echoed throughout the house. Marinette stood and quickly walked over to the dining table to pick up the phone. Marinette then excused herself and went into her room, she then pressed accept when she recognized the number and heard a chilling, emotionless voice fill her ear. Gabriel Agreste.

"Good evening, Ms. Dupain Cheng, how have you been doing?" Gabriel asked as Marinette pursed her lips into a slight frown.

"I'm doing well, since you're asking, but I know you're not the type to care about that sort of thing, what do you want? It's been a while since you called," Marinette whispered harshly into the phone. Marinette did have a good idea about what he was going to talk about, but she wanted to hear him say it.

"You took an extremely huge risk, taking your kids into public, and especially to that fencing event that Adrien went to today. This is just a warning," Gabriel said solemnly as Marinette narrowed her eyes at what he said. Marinette then let out a harsh huff of breath as she replied.

"I'm well aware that it was a huge risk, you don't have to remind me. I've kept my distance all these years, you should have no reason to complain," Marinette whispered angrily into the phone, she then heard Gabriel chuckle on the other end as she braced herself on the wall.

"Yes, you have followed the terms of the contract exceedingly well, 15 years of loneliness and despair, tell me, do you miss the people who used to be in your life?" Gabriel asked almost mockingly as Marinette felt her head drop and her hand grip the phone tighter at his words.

"Don't test me Gabriel... I'm warning you..."

"And you'll do what exactly? Pull another stunt like this again and I will personally make sure that your family won't last, it would be a shame if three poor children had their lives ended before they could even accomplish anything," Gabriel asked coolly, but his tone suddenly turned cold and almost deadly as Marinette felt herself straighten up and boil in anger.

"Gabriel, I don't care that you are disgusted by the fact that these kids are Adrien's, that's why you're still having him avoid meeting the children, even now when he's an adult. However, you can break and drag me down however you want, but let me make one thing clear, you are not touching my kids. I repeat, they have so much life ahead of them and they don't need to watch their backs everyday of their lives wondering if you're going to eliminate them. You're not gonna get to them, not without getting through me, and let me tell you, there is no way in hell that I'm gonna fail at protecting them from you," Marinette snarled into the phone, living by herself with her kids, it made her maternal instinct strong. Her children didn't need to worry about watching their backs for Gabriel everyday of their lives, she thought this to be of utmost importance. Although, she may have failed at her job with Louis, after all, she had accidentally got him involved with Gabriel already. She didn't want to fail with Hugo and Emma.

"Very well Ms. Dupain Cheng, I trust that you can keep your children hidden from Adrien. Although, I must warn you, one step out of line, and trust me, no one would want to be in your position. Good day to you," Marinette then heard the phone cut off and Marinette felt herself breath heavily as she attempted to calm herself down for a couple of minutes. She then took a peek outside the door and found Louis, Hugo, and Emma happily discussing what other things were on the news. Marinette didn't expect her story to have that much airtime so it didn't matter to her. Marinette then smiled and walked out into the living room, setting the phone back on the charging stand on the dining room table. She then joined her children back on the couch and they all laughed and talked as if none of Marinette's situation had any effect on their lives. Marinette wasn't alone in this, it maybe true that her meeting Adrien again started to turn the wheels of fate again. Time had stopped for them, but Marinette and her children put it back in motion and there will be nothing Gabriel can do to stop the inevitable from happening. It's just a matter of fate and time. After all, this was a lucky chance encounter.


	4. Chapter3:AnEternityforBadMemories

Chapter 3: An Eternity for Bad Memories

An eighteen year old Marinette sat on the hospital bed that day and felt her stomach churn and flip with the impeding news of what was wrong with her. Earlier that day, she felt extremely dizzy and she collapsed and fell unconscious while she working in the bakery. She was taken to ER and she and her parents eagerly awaited the news. After an excruciatingly long wait, the doctor came back with a semi grim look on his face.

"What's wrong with her Doc?" Tom asked urgently as the doctor returned a kind smile and looked at the results paper on his check board.

"Depends on whether you see this as a good or bad thing, your daughter's pregnant," The doctor said promptly and after a moment of silence between the Dupain Cheng, they all laughed out loud like it was the funniest joke they ever heard.

"My daughter? Pregnant?" Sabine wheezed as the other two tried to recover from their initial laugh but when they looked up at the doctor, he still had that serious look on his face.

"Wait... Marinette, did you and Adrien..." Sabine asked excitedly while Marinette immediately blushed and looked bashfully in her lap. Sabine took this as the answer she was looking for and she abruptly cheered, "YES!!! HALLELUJAH!"

"Mom!"

"Oh my PATISSERIE! You and Adrien did the deed?!" Tom asked, nudging Marinette, causing her groan and blush into her hands, she even got a glimpse of the doctor laughing.

"We did, but I wasn't even on my period! There's no way I'm pregnant! Ok... maybe a slight chance, but... I don't know..." Tom and Sabine stopped cheering and teasing Marinette and turned to the doctor seriously.

"Where did you get your degree? The University of Dumbass? If my daughter isn't pregnant, then I believe her so do another damn test," Tom pulled out all the stops on sass and stared intimidatingly at the doctor, who looked taken aback but he nodded.

"Alright..." The doctor said, bringing Marinette along with him so he could get another urine sample. About 5 minutes or so later, he came back with a test and the urine sample. The family waited eagerly as he dipped the test into the urine sample, "Pink means pregnant." He pulled out the strip and on the strip, there was a pink mark where the urine touched the paper. Marinette felt dizzy again and steadied herself on the bed. There was no way this was happening, she heard gasps from her parents as she tried to process what was gonna happen.

"I need to go..."

"Marinette?"

"I need... to go!" Marinette said, almost going crazy and she ran out of the room. Later that night, Marinette felt herself slowly unraveling as she busied herself with cleaning up the bakery. Her parents were upstairs for the evening, but they were asleep. Marinette decided to stay up late to busy herself working, because she couldn't sleep. Suddenly she heard a ring at the door.

"That's weird, We closed already..." Marinette wondered aloud as she set down the towel and walked to the front of bakery where she saw a tall figure with platinum blond hair stare blankly out the window: Gabriel Agreste. Marinette approached the man cautiously, as none of them were making a sound. Finally, Marinette found it in her power to speak up, "Mr. Agreste, good evening, what brings you here?" Marinette asked as Gabriel immediately turned towards her voice and she swore she saw ice in his eyes.

"Good evening Ms. Dupain Cheng... how has your day fared?" Gabriel asked solemnly as Marinette took a seat across from him. She eyed him curiously as she curtly replied, leaving out the elephant.

"It's been well... tell me Mr. Agreste, what brings you here?"

"It's truly unfortunate that I have to ask this of you, but I know..." Gabriel said lowly. Marinette felt an uneasy feeling rise from the bottom of her stomach as she gathered the air to reply.

"Know what?"

"The baby you're carrying..."

"How did you find out? I'm so sorry, I never meant for it to happen! That means you know that Adrien's the father," Marinette gulped as she apologized profusely to Gabriel, but he didn't look amused or sympathetic... not one bit.

"Yes... unfortunately... now... for the reason for why I'm here... get rid of it," Gabriel put simply, making Marinette blink once before narrowing her eyes slightly at his shadowed figure that was only illuminated by the moonlight.

"What do you mean get rid of it?"

"Don't play dumb... you know exactly what I mean, I assume you already got the medication from the doctor," Gabriel said coolly as Marinette widened her eyes in shock before narrowing her eyes at Gabriel again. Any sort of hospitality she had... was gone.

"Yes... I did... however, it is not your choice to tell me to have an abortion or not. How could you even ask me such a thing?" Marinette said in a harsh tone, she was almost yelling.

"Don't tell me you're actually going to keep it, that's the worst possible thing you can do for Adrien," Gabriel let out a low chuckle as he folded his fingers and looked at her icily.

"What do you mean?"

"Just look at what you're gonna do to Adrien's reputation. He's one of the most famous models in Paris, if people find out that he engaged in such indecency at this point in his career, it will ruin him, his life, I mean... a father at 18? You've got to be joking," Gabriel smirked knowingly at Marinette took a second to realize his point.

"Adrien... a father at 18? As much as I hate to admit it... he's right, there's no way Adrien and I can be parents at 18, I can't do that to Adrien, knowing him... he would freak out of course, but he would love this child with all his heart. Regardless, I can't do this to him... but... I can't abort this child, it's without a doubt wrong, killing a child before it's born, how could Gabriel be so barbaric to even suggest that... Having a child, it helps I think, through those more difficult times in my life. There's really only one thing I can do," Marinette thought, thoughts racing throughout her head. Marinette blinked and refocused as Gabriel awaited her response.

"You are right, I can't do this to Adrien... we're only eighteen, however... if you think I'm actually gonna get rid of this baby as if it's some sort of inconvenience.. you're mistaken," Marinette finally spoke, Gabriel smirked but then narrowed his eyes at her as she said her other piece. Gabriel then closed his eyes and let out a harsh breath as if he was thinking about something. Then... he spoke.

"I knew you'd say that. Although... I have a proposition for you..." Gabriel said, hardly above a whisper.

"What do you want?" Marinette whispered and she saw Gabriel give an evil grin before he said what broke her heart.

"I want you... to go off the grid."

"What? What do you mean?"

"It's exactly what it means... cut off all contact with your friends and limit your contact with anyone from your previous life to only your family. However... if your family even makes one move towards any contact with your friends. I think you know what will happen, you will move away by the middle of the week, you cannot contact any of your friends to give them any sort of explanation. Just leave without a word. If I were you, I'd get started on packing. You can tell your parents that I'm blackmailing you, it's not as if they can even do anything," Gabriel explained, making Marinette feel like she was starting to sink into a rabbit hole of hell.

"So am I just gonna move away just like that?" Marinette asked crudely as Gabriel leaned back slightly in his chair and moved his leg over his other leg.

"I'll provide you with a place to stay, it'll be a lovely condo, and it'll be completely yours without any sort of lease or rent. You are going to be responsible for your own bills. I'm just going to purchase the real estate for you so you have no reason to come back. It'll be on the other side of Paris, far far away. You will sign a contract at a later date that will bind your bad fortune for an eternity... When I meant your friends, I meant all friends, including your soon to be former boyfriend, Adrien... say good bye Ms.Dupain Cheng... to your life before, you brought this upon yourself," Gabriel leaned in so he could stare directly into her eyes as he said those words and he promptly left. He stood up without making any more eye contact and left the bakery with a soft jingle of the bell, leaving Marinette to sob alone.

"An eternity... huh?" Marinette sobbed quietly into her hands. Eventually she was able to look up where Gabriel once sat and look at it with a discomfort that spoke volumes. All of her senses suddenly became extremely hazy and distant, slowly drifting away from any sort of reason, "an eternity... is such a long time to collect bad memories... Someone... anyone... help me..."

It would be another 6 years before Marinette and Gabriel would have another intense talk. Another six years, until another mistake was made that was even worst from the last. However, it was not one, but double the joy that would come into the world. Marinette, now 24, walks around in her apartment/condo, wondering what to do, as she finally got released from the hospital after being told she was pregnant... again. It was an accidental artificial insemination and Marinette was lucky... or unlucky enough to get pregnant again with twins. Marinette learned that it was Chloe Bourgeois who was supposed to be inseminated because she took Adrien's sperm sample without his permission... so there's that. Marinette had to beg the doctor, who was gonna lose her license anyway, to not tell Chloe or Adrien what actually happened. Marinette also had the doctor lie that the inseminaton wasn't successful and there wasn't a good chance it would actually give anyway. Chloe... did not take it well at all, that day, you could practically see the hospital windows shatter with her voice and hear it from 10 blocks away.

"WHAAAAAAAAT!? WDYM IT DIDN'T WORK!? AREN'T INSEMINATIONS SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE 100 PERCENT?! WHAT KIND OF HOSPITAL ARE YOU RUNNING?!"

"Ummm Mademoiselle, I never said it was... 100 percent... it was only a 25 percent chance it would give anyway..."

"EXCUSE MOI!? THAT IS NOT WHAT YOU SAID 2 WEEKS AGO!"

"Umm... that's exactly what I said 2 weeks ago..."

"I'M GONNA GET MY DADDY AND GET YOU FIRED!!!"

"I'm about to lose my license anyway..."

"GET READY CAUSE I AM GONNA SUE YOU FOR ALL YOU GOT!"

"Ummm... Chloe... I think you're going too far... just face it... you're not pregnant with my child (thank all that is holy)."

"BUT ADRIKINS!"

"Just... leave it... I'm so sorry Doc about the loss of your license. although I didn't think they would suspend a license just because an insemination didn't go right."

"It's quite alright, my license is getting suspended for a different matter, I am truly sorry again about the insemination."

"Again, it's quite alright, next time Chloe... just don't steal my sperm sample, I had it just in case for a reason..."

"UGHHHHHHH SON OF A-"

Earlier that day

"Doc do you seriously want Chloe to unleash her wrath on you? Or both of us? Cause if she finds out that you accidentally inseminated someone else and the fact that you had to fake an insemination with saline, I'm gonna need a half of Paris head start before she goes on a manhunt and kills me when she finds out it's me and you are gonna get slapped with a fat lawsuit and lose your license if she finds out. Please, you have to say that the insemination just didn't give, it's the more sensible solution than taking both of us down. The hospital will know what really happened back but they know about my situation"

"Yes I know, and I'm sorry, I never meant to put you in this predicament."

"Yeah, I know, it's ok really, because if my pregnancy gets leaked, a certain something else in my situation will come along and kill me anyway."

"Really? What, or who is it?"

"It's really none of your concern, thank you for asking, but Adrien will understand and he will without a doubt convince Chloe to not slap you with a huge lawsuit. Ok? Do you trust me?"

"Yes Ms. Dupain Cheng, I'll trust you on this."

"You may wanna protect your hearing though, cause I have no doubt that she's gonna scream."

"Ah... I see..."

And so that leaves Marinette here, recalling everything that happened with a 6 year old boy staring questionably at his mom. Marinette was definitely afraid for a reason, she was afraid that the cover up for what really happened would be unraveled by Gabriel. Gabriel, she figured, would have known about Chloe attempting to have a baby, and he would no doubt believe that it didn't give... for a good 5 seconds before figuring it out. She doesn't know if he would have the faintest idea of checking who else checked into the hospital that day. He would have known about the doctor losing her license because she's Chloe's gynecologist and getting admitted to a new one. That she assumed, would be suspicious to him. Or at least, that's what she thought his thought process was, knowing him. He has enough influence to know if she's pregnant or not, just by looking at the hospital records, even though they're supposed to be private. She wondered if she could sue him for that, a breach in confidentiality for private records, but she doesn't have the proof nor the team of lawyers to successfully sue him. Marinette then wondered if the combination of the failed insemination, the doctor getting suspended, Marinette checking into the hospital and being declared pregnant on the same day would tip him off into connecting the dots and figuring it out. Unfortunately for her... her suspicions were correct. As Marinette sat herself on the sofa and rubbed her eyes, she stroked her hands through Louis' hair and looked almost despairingly at the empty space before her. Soon, a ring could be heard throughout the house and Marinette immediately sent Louis to his room.

"I'll be with you in a sec Louis, I'll read you a bedtime story I promise."

"Ok Maman! Make it a good one!" Louis chirped happily before running off to his room. Marinette quickly picked up the phone and heard that cold voice that hasn't changed in years.

"Good evening Ms. Dupain Cheng..."

"Gabriel... what do you want?" Marinette asked coldly, she realized that any sign of emotion is a sign of weakness to Gabriel, "It's been years since you even bothered to call..."

"I allowed you to keep your first child, Louis? Was that his name? And now, you're having twins... and coincidentally... they also happen to be Adrien's..."

"How do you know that?... those records are confidential, Gabriel, you realize you can get arrested for doing that."

"Hmmm... very much so... but who says you can actually prove that I even looked at your records, for all I know, you just told me you're pregnant just now with Adrien's twins. So it's my word against yours, and I think we know who wins," Gabriel said coolly, making Marinette curse silently under her breath, "Now... I let you keep Louis, but you're mistaken if I am gonna let you keep your twin spawn."

"Really? Spawn? Do try to use modern English will you? I told Gabriel, it's not exactly your choice, it's mine. You have practically taken everything from me, at least let my own choices be mine," Marinette said wearily into the phone, leaning on the couch chair.

"I'm going to ask you again, please get rid of-"

"No... before you go any further... no. I will not have you ask me such a detrimental question, jackass. It's incredibly barbaric and it's wrong," Marinette sighed indignantly into the phone, making Gabriel chuckle a little on the other line.

"You are playing a very dangerous game Ms. Dupain Cheng, I must say... I think justice will catch up with you soon Ms. Dupain Cheng, since your actions do have consequences... imagine the anger on Adrien's face when he finds out you lied about the real reason behind the insemination."

"You told me to do whatever it takes to keep Adrien from finding out that I'm involved at all, and yet you are using the very terms that I am abiding by as blackmail, how low will you go?" Marinette whispered angrily into the phone, with every word, their conversation gets darker and darker.

"True, you are abiding by the terms well... considering you're being monitored 24/7 and this conversation I know is being recorded by you," Gabriel said coolly again, making Marinette widen her eyes in surprise.

"What proof do you have that I'm even recording any of your conversations?"

"Don't play dumb, I know you've been recording every single one of my conversations with you for the past 15 years, looking for some way to incriminate me, well let me tell you this, you're never gonna find proof," Gabriel said with the same icy coolness that Marinette hates hearing. Marinette stood there silently, mulling over her options.

"I'll give you until they are born, to make a decision... tick tock Ms. Dupain Cheng," Gabriel whispered into the phone, making Marinette immediately hang up the phone. Marinette felt herself drop into the chair, cross her legs, and bring a hand to her face. It was just too much... It was horrid enough for him to hound her about Louis, but about two more children. She was just going to have to be that much stronger, she had no choice. Marinette sighed and walked to Louis' room where he was happily awaiting his bedtime story. Marinette smiled cheerfully as she always did and sat down by his bed and began her story. She always had a knack for telling stories, even when it came to her own life, she always had a thing with getting into the weirdest and most exciting situations.

Nine months later...

"Congrats! You are the proud mother of fraternal twins!" The nurse happily said as she set the swaddled twins into Marinette's arms on the hospital bed. She couldn't be happier, she had two more bundles of joy in the world. Marinette smiled appreciatively at the nurse while she just remembered.

"Excuse me? Nurse Marlene, can you let my son in? He's waiting outside the door," Marinette weakly whispered as the nurse nodded and smiled and opened the door. Immediately, an energetic, excited Louis came barreling through the door and came to his mom's side. He looked at the twins with sparkles in his eyes, "Meet your little brother and sister Louis..." Marinette said as she handed the small boy for Louis to hold lovingly in his arms. Louis stared longingly at the sleeping child before looking up happily at Marinette.

"Did you name them?" Louis asked hopefully, he was hoping to name one of them. Marinette gave him a small smirk.

"I only named the one you're holding, meet your baby brother Hugo," Marinette whispered as Louis beamed with happiness and rocked Hugo gently, kissing him on the forehead.

"Hey Hugo! It's me, your big brother Louis. I promise to love you, our sister, and Mama with all my heart," Louis whispered, holding Hugo close. Marinette smiled warmly at Hugo before looking at her daughter and kissing her forehead.

"Louis? Do you wanna name your sister?" Marinette asked with Louis almost screaming. Louis quickly bit his lip and promptly nodded yes. Louis then moved closer so he could get a good look at his sister. She had such an angelic face, and she was actually awake. Louis could see that she had green eyes, which was a trait he hadn't noticed in their family before, but he and his sister shared blonde hair. The baby held our her hand and gripped Louis' finger, making him smile. He was a big brother, and he had to do his duty as their protector.

"I think... I'll name her..."

"I trust you Louis, don't name her something weird..."

"Trust me Maman, I got this... I'll name her... Emilia," Louis smiled after a moment of thinking. Marinette felt herself gasp and smile brightly.

"That's a beautiful name, let's call her Emma for short."

"Yeah!"

Marinette had allowed her parents to see the newborns of course, but she trusted Louis first and foremost to see his family first. She didn't know why, but she felt like Louis was the only one who was always by her side. He drove something away when she need was in her darkest hour, and that was her loneliness. That's why she puts Louis first and foremost in her heart and trust before her parents. Marinette had always remembered that on the day that the twins were born, he would come back. Marinette was sick of living her life in fear, it was the most unbearable feeling. Soon, when she was still in the hospital, she received a visit from the man himself.

"Mademoiselle, there is someone here to see you," A nurse said as she closed the door behind her to curtly warn Marinette. Marinette and Louis narrowed their eyes at the door as a tall, pristine man walked through the door and looked solemnly at Marinette. Marinette felt her lungs constrict as he signaled for the nurse to get out so they could be alone.

"Your nine months are up, there is a decision to be made..."

"Gabriel... let me ask you something... does HE know you made this physical visit to the hospital?" Marinette asked quietly as Louis continued to stare at the man. Louis had never met anyone who was so... scary and it worried him to no end that this man that he didn't know had business with his mom.

"No. No he does not, Marinette, you have to make a decision, you either give the kids obediently to an adoption agency that I have arranged or keep them and or I'll get rid of them by force," Gabriel said coldly, Marinette stared in horror at what this man was saying, he would actually put two newborns voluntarily into the worst plight they could ever imagine. Marinette looked furious, but Louis was livid. If his mom wasn't gonna say something about what this man was going to do, then he will.

"Knowing you, it's probably some suspicious, underhanded, seedy adoption agency isn't it, do you really think I trust you?" Marinette said with all the malice she could in her voice. Gabriel smirked as he slowly inched closer to them, making them feel a rush of fear and desperation.

"Mister! If you think Maman is gonna give our family to you, then you're wrong. I dunno why you want to get rid of them, but getting rid of people who can't defend themselves makes you a meanie, A BIG MEANIE!" Louis huffed angrily as he stood on his tip toes as an attempt to square up with Gabriel. Gabriel looked at Louis with amusement, not a good one though, but he was amused nonetheless.

"Little boy, I don't think you know what you're talking about... you see... your mother was caught up in a mistake, she wasn't even supposed to have your little brother and sister, but her mistakes happen to be very tiresome for me," Gabriel explained as Louis widened his eyes in shock for a split seconds before narrowing his eyes again angrily.

"I don't care if it was a mistake, or if it happens to create a problem for you Mister but a life is a life, and the lives that you are threatening happen to be my little brother and sister. I speak for Maman when I say No, so please leave us alone," Louis said angrily, almost feeling a need to scream but Mom always told him that screaming is bad for people's ears. Marinette smiled at Louis before looking at Gabriel angrily.

"Louis, you do speak for me, Gabriel, I'm gonna have to ask you to leave, I'm keeping these children," Marinette said firmly, making Gabriel taken aback for a moment before his expression darkened.

"Tch... you always had to be so... difficult... I really didn't want to dirty my hands..."

"Wait... No!"

"I guess I'll just take them by force" Gabriel whispered darkly as he quickly started towards the bed and latched onto Hugo and Emma. Marinette gasped and yelled as she tried to tug her kids back, who started crying from the sudden force. Gabriel tugged even harder as the blankets covering Hugo and Emma started to slip from Marinette and more into Gabriel hands. Louis then quickly climbed up onto the bed and rammed himself into Gabriel, knocking both of them down to the ground. Marinette quickly reestablished her grip on the twins, who were still crying, and attempted to calm them down. She then realized that Louis is currently struggling with a man, who could most likely have the lack of conscience when it comes to harming kids. Louis could die. Marinette gasped as she attempted to sit up and look over the bed to warn Louis. She gasped again when she saw Louis struggling to keep Gabriel down on the floor. Louis is fierce, but he can't keep Gabriel down for long. Gabriel snarled as Louis kept trying to punch him as hard as he could, and he used his leg to move between Louis and himself so he could kick Louis as hard as he could into the foot of the hospital bed. He unfortunately succeeded, as he used the base of his shoe and kicked hard into Louis' stomach, sending him flying back into the foot of the bed.

"AAAAHH!" Louis screamed in pain as he crumpled to the floor and clutched his stomach in pain. Marinette stared in horror as she wondered, why aren't the screams in here attracting any attention?

"Louis! Sweetie! Are you okay!?" Marinette yelled as Gabriel slowly stood up and kicked Louis again harshly back into the foot of the bed, knocking him unconscious, "LOUIS! NO! Gabriel! YOU BASTARD! How could you do that to a child! Oh my god, Louis!" The bed started to lurch forward slowly, moving Marinette slowly forward, slowly folding her back till it hurt. If she didn't reach the button, both her and her children are gonna be crushed by the bed. Marinette balanced Hugo on her arm and tried to reach her hand to the button that controlled the bed, Louis must have activated it when he was kicked into the foot of the bed. She strained as hard as she could while she was slowly moving, but she couldn't reach far enough. She then saw a pair of arms latch and pull on Hugo and Emma again. Marinette was then forced to focus all of her attention on pulling the children back, they were crying softly but her situation was pretty bad.

"Marinette, if you don't let go of your children, they will die along with you, cause I am not pressing that button," Gabriel yelled at Marinette, who weighed her options carefully. He was right, they were going to die if she kept holding onto them, but either way, they were gonna die no matter what because of Gabriel. Marinette shut her eyes tightly, trying to hold back Gabriel while facing her impending doom. Was this it?

"NO!" Marinette heard a voice from the foot of the bed as she felt Gabriel suddenly let go of Hugo and Emma and bang his head on what she thinks was the foot of the bed. Marinette then heard a beep and the bed starting moving back up to its original position and she saw Louis using the foot of the bed as support as he kept his hand on the button, barely supporting himself.

"Oh my god! Louis! Are you ok? Please tell me you're ok..." Marinette cried as Louis slowly came to her and fell into her arms as she hugged all three of them. They soon heard a groan as they saw Gabriel stand up and that look of horror mirrored between both of them again.

"It hurts... Maman... it hurts... so much," Louis tried to blink the tears away from the pain, Marinette comfortingly comforted and apologized into his hair. She cried and apologized for even leading her child into this situation.

"Yes... Sweetie, I know, I'm so sorry... This... is all my fault..." Marinette cried as she saw Gabriel look at them with such an anger, it was palpable.

"Marinette... I hope you're ready for what's coming... all of you are gonna die in here, and no one is gonna give a shit!" Gabriel almost screamed as Marinette covered Louis' ears, but he heard regardless. He couldn't describe the anger that was coursing through his veins, it was like lava, he couldn't think rationally, he was just thinking by instinct now, "You all are gonna die... Marinette, it really is a shame you will die without accomplishing anything, what a fitting way to die. I'm gonna enjoy wringing the life from all of your necks."

"You're insane..." Marinette whispered with as much hatred as she could. Gabriel laughed as he slowly stalked further to the family as Louis felt his anger go to a boiling point as he could no longer think about anything else other than getting this man out of this room. He and his mom and his siblings were in danger, Gabriel lunged for them and Louis grabbed the first thing he could reach for on the side table next to the nightstand: a scalpel knife. He then did something that shocked even him, and even traumatized him if that was his worst case scenario. He raised the scalpel knife and plunged it into Gabriel's hand as he lunged both of his hands at them. Gabriel screamed in pain as he immediately stepped back and clutched his hand in pain. Louis felt the blood splatter onto him and he saw the blood dripping from the knife. He looked back at his mom to find a horrified look on her face, she also had blood on her face as well. Marinette gasped in surprise as she continued to stare at Louis' knife and at Gabriel's pain. Gabriel kept clutching his hand but he glared at them with malice.

"You..." Gabriel growled maliciously as Louis dropped the scalpel on the bed and started shaking. Louis was frozen in fear, he could no longer move, his hands felt frozen, shaking in place. His entire body felt numb as he fell backwards into Marinette, who moved slightly so he was resting on her chest with Hugo and Emma by his side.

"Louis?! Are you ok?" Marinette asked as she looked down worryingly at her son, who was despondent but still had his eyes open. Marinette looked angrily at Gabriel who kept clutching his hands, "Gabriel, you better leave right now before I force myself out of this bed and beat you with this saline bag and that scalpel. You caused enough misery for one day..." Marinette admonished Gabriel, who huffed angrily before straightening himself and turning towards the door. He turned his head to look on her and he grinned evilly.

"I'll let you have this temporary peace Marinette, but mark my words... you're gonna be walking in hell from here on out for an eternity, good day Ms. Dupain Cheng," Gabriel said silently before slipping out the door and out of their lives, for now anyway. Marinette and Louis breathed a huge sigh of relief as Louis suddenly felt completely drained of energy and slumped against the bed. Marinette gasped as she used her hands to move his head so she can get a look at his face. Marinette looked with extreme worry as she saw he fell unconscious from the pain.

"An eternity's a long time to collect bad memories... " Marinette whispered as she hugged Hugo and Emma closer, as if she was still trying to protect them from Gabriel. She felt drops of regret and resentment flow from her eyes as she saw her beaten son lying unconscious in front of her. Soon, a nurse came in and almost screamed at the site she saw. She immediately rushed over to the bed and and checked the boy's pulse.

"Oh my goodness! Ms. Dupain Cheng! What happened here! Are you ok?!" The nurse asked promptly as she examined Louis' injuries, they were pretty bad, he had a large bruise in his stomach, and parts of his back were bruised as well.

"I'm fine... but... Louis... he isn't, he tried to protect me from Gabriel Agreste, he's badly beaten, please save him... he's my pride and joy..." Marinette cried silently as the nurse nodded and immediately carried him to the next empty room to perform first aid and an x-ray. Worrying for the boy's safety, she did the work quickly. The doctors and nurses checked the security footage later and were horrified at the events that transpired in the room. However, they couldn't touch him, nobody could. He's one of the most influential people in Paris, he was protected by a team of top notch lawyers, nobody could touch him. Louis, after a few hours in urgent care, was fine. They had to do a check on his mind to check in his mental health after what happened. It was damaged slightly, however, it wasn't much and he was declared mentally stable. Marinette soon after was discharged from the hospital, keeping a mental book on every single bad memory. She wanted to give Louis, Hugo, and Emma the best childhood she could give them, in their situation. She at least wanted that much for her children. It would be another 8 years before he called again... but this time, things are gonna be different.


	5. Chapter4:ReminiscentConfrontation

Chapter 4: Reminiscent Confrontation

Adrien made his way to a very nice cafe that was several blocks away from the mansion. He had a meeting with an old friend of his today. As he walked along the sidewalk, he brought up his hand to watch the time. It was about 9:55, and his meeting was at 10, Adrien smiled as he knew he would make it on time. As he reached the cafe, a waiter came up to him with a warm smile as he asked if he had a table saved or if he wanted a new table. Adrien nodded appreciatively as he said he already had a table saved. The waiter nodded and walked away as Adrien walked into the lively and warm atmosphere of the cafe. He always loved going out, it was so much of a welcome change to the house he was used to. He soon found a certain brunette with auburn ombre hair wave at him and gesture him over. Adrien smiled widely as he took the seat across from the female as the female lowered her glasses slightly to wink at him.

"It sure has been a while Adrien Agreste, what have you been getting yourself up to these days?"

"Alya, I'm so glad you could meet me today! How have you been?" Adrien asked happily as he ordered a croque-monsieur from the waiter who came along. Alya crossed her legs and smirked at Adrien.

"I'm doing well! Nino and I have been really busy but I'm so glad you called because I've been wondering what happened to Marinette after all these years," Alya murmured worryingly as Adrien nodded in agreement.

"Oh yeah, how has your son been doing?" Adrien asked as Alya folded her arms and laughed. Adrien didn't think it was a weird question, it has been a while since he's seen Alya.

"Oh Gavin? He's been fine! In his first year of high school, it's been a little rough but he says that his best friend makes it so much easier since they're in the same grade." Alya mused over her son's experience as Adrien nodded in understanding.

"That's nice to hear, but now we have to talk about why we're having this meeting," Adrien said seriously as Alya rolled up the sleeves on her burgundy coat and leaned towards the table to listen to him.

"Marinette... I know, I saw her on the news, she looks well for herself, other than her hair, it's in a wavy bob than her pigtails. She hasn't changed a bit. She has gotten taller, she has more of this refined look about herself, but the fact that she was having this giant chase all over the school proves that the Marinette we know is still in there. That's comforting I suppose," Alya murmured as she noticed Adrien extremely furrowed in thought. She saw the memories of the past etched in his expression as she stirred her coffee.

"Alya... I miss her so much... I want to know what happened to her..." Adrien whispered as Alya put her hands on his comfortingly. Alya knew how painful it was, the day she found out that Marinette had disappeared, leaving only a letter explaining supposedly everything. It was devastating for her, but she couldn't have imagined how Adrien felt. He was her boyfriend... sort of. They had THE romantic night of their lives, if that didn't raise any red flags, she didn't know what did. Alya knew that Adrien loved her, with all his heart, so she couldn't fathom the pain stored in his heart.

"I know... I miss her too... and the fact that she ran away from you, I know it hurt. However... I thought you moved on... you're engaged to Kagami. You're happy with the way things are in some form right?" Alya asked, but she already knew the answer.

"No... if I'm gonna be honest... no. I love Kagami I do, but I need closure on Marinette. I'm not gonna ditch Kagami, I married her for a reason. However, Marinette... I just want things to go back to the way they used to be, I want Marinette and I to be in each other's lives again," Adrien concluded as he noticed Alya giving him a big smile. Adrien looked at her questioningly as their food arrived.

"Good answer, now come on, let's eat. Afterwards, I have Nino waiting in a spy van, because we're gonna find out where Marinette lives and find out more about her."

"Sounds good to me." And so they ate. Later when they finished their food. Adrien offered to pay, which Alya graciously accepted. Soon, they made their way out to a black van that was parked near the cafe. When they got to the car, the car door suddenly flew open and a tall caramel colored man stood there, smiling widely. Adrien felt himself beam in happiness as he and Nino shared a hug and did their handshake from high school. Alya rolled her eyes and smiled at the pair, some things just don't change. Nino definitely grew taller, he was the same height as Adrien. He lost the hat, showing his slightly messy brown hair but he still had his signature headphones around his neck. He wore a nice teal polo shirt and loose fitting jeans, he grew more muscular as well as more lanky as his arms and legs were longer. His face was more defined than before, but you could very easily recognize him if you knew him from high school. Alya shook her hand as the two buddies wrapped their arms around each other's shoulders and laughed if no time passed at all when they saw each other last.

"Nino it's so great to see you!"

"Right back at ya buddy! Dude... it has been so long!"

"Alright guys, hate to break up the reunion, but we have a job to do," Alya smirked as she drove all of them into the van and settled. The van had a lot of notebooks crammed in nooks and crannies and there were several computers keeping track of certain people. As a journalist, Alya kept track of places she's been and the info she has collected, she wasn't the best at organizing though. Adrien, Nino, and Alya settled and looked on the computer for any record of Marinette's address or contact info, but shockingly, it turned up bare. Alya stuck her tongue out as she typed a couple of more things into the computer as Adrien watched a little stupidly. Nino smirked at Adrien before looking at what Alya was typing.

"Hmmm... You still can't find anything?"

"No! Nino, Adrien it's so weird, all of her records seemed to have completely evaporated, I didn't even find her driver's license. Adrien, when you chased her, did you happen to know something, that could point to her location or identity or anything?" Alya asked as Adrien furrowed his eyebrows in thought for only a few seconds before immediately answering.

"Oh, let's see, she has three kids-"

"THREE KIDS?!" Alya practically screamed, making Adrien and Nino wince back from the sudden outburst, "SHE HAS three kids! OH MY GOD! WHAT HAS THAT GIRL BEEN DOING?!" Alya felt herself hyperventilating as Nino attempted to calm her down, Nino then looked seriously at Adrien.

"Adrien, do you know anything else about them? It's extremely important that you know any specific details about them," Nino asked as Adrien immediately recalled more info.

"Oh yeah, so she got a call from her oldest son, Louis, when I was running after her. I happened to see him and the two other siblings as I chased Marinette into the main courtyard. He looked like a teen, probably like 14-15, around that age. He was just a little shorter than me. The two other kids were Hugo and Emma, and I think they're twins," Adrien thought aloud as he recalled the events from yesterday. Alya looked at Adrien with extreme interest as she wrote all of those notes into a fresh notebook. It was all really interesting, Marinette having twins and a teen.

"It didn't seem like Marinette had a husband or significant other, the twins seemed about 7-8 years old, they looked not that young, but old enough to be kids," Adrien continued, Alya kept writing down everything Adrien was saying, gliding the sword of words across the canvas of paper. Alya frowned at the mention at the mention of Marinette having no "significant other," but it was to be expected she guessed after what happened.

"I see... I don't suppose you ever met the father or anything? It was just her and the kids, right?" Alya asked, she already knew the answer but she wanted to hear it for herself. Adrien shook his head and felt himself relax back into the seat.

"Yeah... Although I wouldn't say I met them, more like I saw them," Adrien mumbled as Alya sighed and looked at Nino. The two of them gave each other a knowing glance and looked back at the computer data of Marinette showing on the screen. Together, the three of them looked at the info together and felt their brows furrow in intrigue.

"Who would have thought... Marinette's the fashion editor for Style Queen Magazine! But... it doesn't seem like she has a lot of... I don't know accomplishments, fashion lines, or anything associated with her. But it is a confirmed fact that she is working under Audrey Bourgeois," Alya mused over the info as Adrien and Nino looked at each other in confusion. Adrien was especially confused because he had kept a lot of contact with Audrey Bourgeois and Chloe Bourgeois over the years, but never has he heard that Marinette was working with them.

"Wait... does it say when she got the job?" Adrien asked as Alya scrolled down through the info and narrowed her eyes at some info that caught her eye.

"She started working there around 7 years ago, but she's still the fashion editor of Style Queen Magazine, that must mean that Chloe doesn't know about Marinette working at Style Queen Magazine because let's be honest, there's no way Chloe would let her have, let alone keep that job."

"She's not wrong."

"You have a point."

"It's strange because this info, was astonishingly hard to get because there's always a pesky firewall whenever I try to look up anything on Mari, like do you know the amount of spying and observing I had to do to even know that she works at Style Queen? It's insane! It's almost like there's someone who doesn't want us to view this info," Alya groaned as she expressed her frustrations and Adrien and Nino shook their heads in understanding. The three then continued to look through info on Marinette and her kids. Alya felt herself teeth grind in frustration because Marinette's address was nowhere to be found. She wasn't in the phone book for some odd reason and there also seems to be a firewall protecting info involving her kids. When Alya was done googling and doing some slight hacking for Mari, she leaned back in her chair in frustration.

"No luck?" Adrien asked as Alya turned tiredly to face him.

"No, but there's a website for Style Queen Magazine and Marinette is on that website, but there isn't a whole lot of more info on her, unless we ask Audrey Bourgeois herself because every employee has to have filled out their personal and background info when they have a job. That's our best bet. Adrien, you wouldn't happen to know Audrey personally do you? Considering your relations to- ugh, can't say it, Chl-Chl-Chlo-"

"Chloe?" Nino finished for her, making Alya shudder in disgust. Her disgust is understandable, considering what Chloe did in high school and in the past couple of years. Adrien scratched his head nervously before going back to thinking about his relations to Audrey Bourgeois. His relations with her aren't actually so bad because they're incredibly well known in the fashion business and they've been partners before. Most of that friendship is because of Gabriel since they were old friends. Adrien broke up with Chloe though because well... his relationship with her is solely platonic and that one incident 8 years ago with the artificial insemination.

"You're in luck, I'm good friends with Audrey actually because of my father. She's not really holding a grudge over me since I broke up with her daughter because of that artificial insemination incident. She's surprisingly not biased and she's actually a very sophisticated yet slightly cold person. She's really kind to all of her employees and friends. She's become the opposite of Chloe ever since you guys last met her in high school." Adrien explained as he saw Alya and Nino's face change at the parts that bothered them the most.

"Audrey Bourgeois... nice? Last time I saw her, Chloe was practically her clone with probably fake blond hair!" Alya exclaimed as both Nino and Adrien cracked a laugh and soon all of them were lightly laughing before Alya looked back at Adrien seriously, "I guess we need to make a visit to the Style Queen Magazine." The three of them nodded together as Nino got into the front seat with Alya and started the ignition. The van soon drove off into the heart of the city, the buildings that passed by had such a Victorian and ornate look to them. The trio looked out over the Seine which glistened in the sunlight. The Seine actually ran throughout Paris and no one in the city ever got tired of seeing it. Nino continued driving into the city and scoffed as the van approached the building.

"The building's really hard to miss, it's that one pristine, big, glass building that has the Style Queen Logo slapped onto the top of the building," Nino laughed as Alya smacked his shoulder playfully and Adrien let out a chuckle. Adrien looked on from the backseat, the road ahead, and how he hoped to get answers from Audrey. Soon, they reached the building and the parked their car in a parking garage around the corner. Together, they walked into the building be greeted by a clean symphony of white and gold colors. The main color was white with gold accents. The lobby had a lone register at the end of the room with a series of rooms and elevators behind it. There was bustling people coming in and out of the building and people working at small offices in the lobby. Adrien, Alya, and Nino approached the desk to find a nice yet oddly despondent clerk at the front desk. When Adrien approached the clean cut marble desk, the clerk didn't even move her fixed eyes from the screen, but she spoke anyway.

"Hello! For what business have you come here for?" The woman said solemnly as Adrien leaned his arm on the desk and smiled.

"I'm here to see Audrey Bourgeois, she's a good friend of mine, she'll know who I am," Adrien replied as the woman finally looked up and covered her mouth as she realized who was talking to.

"Oh my goodness, Adrien Agreste! My apologies, please forgive my rudeness, please follow me, someone will show you up to her office. I'll let her know you're coming up," The woman quickly apologized as Adrien smiled warmly at her and proceeded to the elevator behind her.

"It's quite alright, you're just doing your job," Adrien smiled as the three of them approached a clear white elevator and found an employee already waiting for them there. The woman at the front smiled as she turned back towards the front to mind her business again. The employee gestured for them into the elevator and up they went into the heavens beyond, fashion wise anyway.

Meanwhile...

Marinette had to come into Audrey's Bourgeois's office today in order to drop off a couple of design ideas for her new fashion line. She and Audrey were in the midst of wrapping up the finalizations for the designs until there was a ring at Audrey's office phone. Audrey huffed annoyingly as she immediately picked up the phone and answered.

"What is it Krishna? I'm busy- oh really? Oh I see... Send them up.." Audrey Bourgeois said hesitantly as she flickered her eyes between the open wall window of the city and Marinette, who was talking to Hugo and Emma. Hugo and Emma got to leave school early for the day and they got to accompany Marinette to her work. They got to visit often so they're good friends with Audrey. Audrey's looks haven't really changed but she does have a kinder yet still intimidating look about her compared to 15 years ago. Audrey's office was large, half of the room's walls was a giant window overlooking the city and she had a marble table and bookshelves full of neat sketchbooks she has done over the years. The bookshelves also had myriad of past fashion lines and articles on famous people since Style Queen Magazine was more than just fashion, it was practically Vogue. The rest of the room was a clear white and Audrey turned to Marinette in a slight panic.

"Marinette, you're going to have to forgive me, but... you're gonna about to be in a bit of a situation..." Audrey Bourgeois said as she set the fabrics and colors down and Marinette stood up from her squatting position to face Audrey questioningly.

"What kind of situation?" Marinettte asked slowly as Audrey took a breath and breathed out quickly.

"Adrien Agreste, and your friends from 15 years ago Alya and Nino are coming up here to have a meeting with me, I think it's just a friendly visit," Audrey quickly warned Marinette, whose eyes bulged and immediately started packing her things.

"WHAT?! Audrey! Why did you let them up!?" Marinette almost yelled as she made haste to pick up her things and get Hugo and Emma's jackets on. Marinette then whipped around to face Audrey, "Alright, how much time until they get up here? Just gotta stay calm."

Audrey checked the time on her laptop that was other desk and immediately looked back at Marinette, "Marinette, since they just entered the elevator, you have about a minute to either hide or try to get into the elevators without them spotting you. I'm really sorry that this is happening I really wanted to continue to talk about your upcoming line."

"It's completely fine Audrey, we can talk another time, but right now, what's of most importance is that I get out of here before Adrien and the others catch me," Marinette sighed as she took a moment to think about the layout of the floor. The elevators are all the way at the other side of the floor and there are a lot of offices on this floor. Audrey's office just happens to be the biggest and the last one, that means if Marinette hurried now, she might be able to hide outside in one of the offices. She could just let them past without them ever seeing Marinette and no one will know, unless Audrey decides the spill the beans," Alright, I figured a way out of here but I need to act fast."

"Alright Marinette, it's been a pleasure talking to you, you best be on your way," Audrey nodded in agreement as Marinette quickly pushed Hugo and Emma out the door and into the bustling offices of the top floor. Marinette narrowed her eyes and could see the elevators on the far side of the floor.

"Maman, is it Adrien Agreste again? He seems to be causing you a lot of trouble," Hugo asked solemnly with a hint of worry in his voice as Marinette scanned the rest of the floor to find a good hiding place.

"Yeah! Maman! Is there a reason why you can't even let him see you?" Emma added on to the questions as Marinette sighed and affectionately patted her kids' heads.

"Sweetie, he's given me a lot more trouble than its worth and you kids remember the incident from the other day?" Marinette asked as Hugo and Emma nodded, clearly remembering the engraved events, "that's how much I need to avoid him. Plus, I already told you kids it's because of Gabriel Agreste, Adrien's father."

"So is he the reason why you can't be friends with Adrien? I wasn't paying much attention before, sorry Maman," Emma brought her curled fingers to her lips as if she was thinking about what her mom said. She did find it weird that Maman didn't have to do these types of things until just recently.

"Precisely. And it's ok Emma really, I wouldn't want you two to know about these deeper questions until later, but it's best you know them now since you two are bound to know anyway, I just want you two to be prepared," Marinette warned them, earning understanding nods from both of them.

"We completely understand! Right Emma?" Hugo asked discreetly as Emma nodded back with a slight annoyance.

"Yes Hugo.." Emma huffed with a slight annoyance as Hugo let out a chuckle and Marinette smiled at them before she heard a faint ding from the other side of the floor. Marinette peered in slight terror at the other side of the floor as one of the five elevator doors opened to reveal an employee with Adrien, Alya, and Nino following just behind her. Marinette felt her face contort into an expression of sheer mortification as she took Hugo and Emma's hand made a mad dash towards the right, attempting to hide in an empty office. From the elevators to Audrey's office, it's literally a straight walk across the whole room to her office with other small offices and busy people decorating the sides. Marinette winced as she and her kids ducked and silently made their way across the floor, using the partitions of the offices to block them from view. Every so often Marinette would peer over the edge of the table or partition to see where Adrien and the others are. They looked so bright and full of life, as if they were living their lives to the fullest everyday. They had this cheery yet confident demeanor that Marinette envied. However, Marinette was an adult, she couldn't cling to those sorts of emotions, or at least she didn't think so. She still kept track of them as they walked straight to the office and Marinette soon picked up the pace as they neared the office. Soon Marinette, Hugo, and Emma miraculously made their way to the other side of the floor and quickly pressed the elevator button. The trio did earn a couple of questioning looks from the employees, but they didn't really pay them any mind. If they didn't pose a threat to their work, they had no reason to judge. Marinette looked back as she waited for the elevator to reach their floor. She saw the backs of her three friends as they walked to Audrey's office, Marinette soon felt that longing sensation again, trying to cling onto those memories. It was comforting that she still had those wisps of memories, it reminded her of what she once had and how they can just be relics of the past.

Adrien, Alya, and Nino made their way to Audrey's office, paying little mind to the bustling work life around them. When they finally reached the office, the employee bowed and walked away. Immediately after, the door opened, revealing a happy Audrey Bourgeois.

"Adrien! It is so nice to see you darling, it's been too long since I've last seen you and your father," Audrey exclaimed, with her body language conveying exactly the opposite, but Adrien could tell she was happy nonetheless, "I see you brought your friends with you, good good..." Audrey faltered as she noticed Marinette on the other side of the floor, just starting to get into the elevator with Hugo and Emma, "thank goodness she made it..." Audrey murmured but the trio heard her and saw her eyes focused on something past them. Adrien, Nino, and Alya then turned around to find Marinette trying to do a cutting motion at her neck to signal silence. It didn't work, it took the three a couple of seconds to register who was in the elevator, but the first one to react was Adrien.

"Audrey! Darn it... I really need a new signal," Marinette thought aloud to herself before immediately noticing Adrien sprinting across the room towards the elevator with his arm outstretched, "Adrien!"

"Marinette! Hold the door!" Adrien yelled as Marinette felt her fingers tremble as they found their way to the 'close elevator door' button, but she couldn't bring herself to press it. Finally, she felt her fingers gloss over the button and press on it, making the elevator door close slowly. Marinette then proceeded to look with a fearful expression as Adrien desperately sprinted across the room and barely manage to get through the elevator doors before they closed shut. Maybe in her heart somewhere... she was hoping for him to make it, even if her actions say otherwise. Marinette felt herself move with her children to the side so Adrien could step into the elevator without crashing into them. Marinette then felt the atmosphere intensify, being that "he" was in the elevator with her. She tried as hard as she could, but she couldn't make eye contact with him, it was too hard, 15 years... She felt Adrien's intense gaze on her and she didn't even feel the elevator moving as they never chose a floor. She couldn't escape the inevitable, she could pull any sort of silly shenanigan she wants but she was not getting out of it. Finally, after an eternity, Adrien finally spoke, "it's really you... Marinette."

"Mmmhmm, yeah, it's been a long time Adrien, it's nice to see you're well," Marinette whispered as she felt herself slowly breaking. She finally gathered the courage to look into those bright emerald eyes of his. They looked exactly the same, just as she remembered it, that thought made something in her heart feel content. It was like something was crossed off her bucket list. She saw immense happiness and relief in his eyes before she felt herself being wrapped into a hug. Marinette gasped as she felt his hair brush against the side of her head and his muscular arms wrap snugly around her torso. It took Marinette awhile but she finally found it in herself to smile again.

"I missed you," Adrien whispered as nothing could wipe the smile off his face. Marinette let out a small smile and hugged him back. It's been such a long time, since she's hugged Adrien, she forgot how nice it felt.

"I missed you too... more than you know," Marinette whispered back as she felt Adrien tense and hug her tighter. After an eternity, they finally let each other go, with Marinette's hands resting gingerly on his forearms and Adrien's right below her shoulders. At this point, she didn't care, she was just happy to finally meet him again. After a while Marinette spoke, "I'm sorry for all of this really, Adrien. The other day, you knew you were chasing after me and I know I hurt you because you thought I didn't want to see you after so long. I'm so sorry, I just wasn't ready, to see you again that is." Marinette felt her hands drop and she looked to the side again, adding more regrets to the list. She then heard Adrien's voice, teeming with happiness and relief.

"Oh no! I completely understand, it might have been overwhelming for you, I'm sorry for putting you on that predicament, with the whole chase thing. That's why you were extremely shocked to see me, and decided to make a run for it," Adrien replied with a complacent tone in his voice, making Marinette feel really relieved. Marinette then brightened and used her two hands to gesture her kids forward.

"Adrien! I don't think you had the proper first greeting to my twins. This is Hugo, the shy one, he doesn't open up to a lot of people but I'm sure you two will be fast buddies since he warms up quickly to truly good people," Marinette ruffled Hugo's hair and gestured to him, Hugo continued to cling tightly to his mom's white jacket as he's done for the past 30 seconds, "And Emma, the firecracker who won't stop blazing! You two, this is Adrien Agreste, you haven't had the pleasure of properly meeting him but trust me when I say that you're gonna like him a lot," Marinette leaned down and tickled her daughter's neck, making her giggle. If this brighten the smile on Adrien's face, what else could? Adrien immediately squats down to meet Hugo, who continued to hide behind Marinette.

"Hi, Hugo, I'm Adrien Agreste, I'm an old friend of your mom's, it's a pleasure to meet you," Adrien calmly yet happily said as Hugo slowly peered out from his mom's jacket and stuck his hand out, which Adrien happily took. Hugo cracked a small smile and shook his hand.

"Ummm... Hello.. Mister Agreste! I know my mom says I should trust you but it's gonna take a while before I can do that. Although, you already seem like a great enough person, considering that hug from before. Maman hasn't had a bear hug like that in a while, thanks for making her smile again," Hugo whispered as Adrien felt his heart flutter with warmth and he responded back with a huge smile. Marinette gave a knowing smile to Hugo.

"I was just so happy to see her again, I hope I can be a man worthy of your trust," Adrien replied with a courageous vigor that made Hugo smile and retreat back a little behind Marinette's jacket. Adrien then turned to Emma, who almost jumped trying to greet him.

"Hi Mister Agreste! It's nice to meet you! If Maman says you're good, then I'll be the judge of that! You're pretty great! I'm sorry about that question from the other day, I'll introduce myself again! I'm Emma! Nice to meet you Mister Agreste!" Emma had a huge wide smile on her face as she bounced and greeted Adrien who let out a laugh at her behavior.

"Talks a mile a minute, I hope you can deal with her energy," Hugo murmured loud enough so everyone could hear. Emma huffed as she mock argued back with her brother.

"At least I talk more than you Hugo! All you do is read encyclopedias, play video games with Maman and Louis, and read fantasy and sci-fi books! You don't talk to anyone else besides me or the teacher at school!" Emma teased Hugo, who crossed his arms indignantly.

"Hey kids, it's not nice to prey on each other's strengths, what have I told you about differences? You two may be twins, but you're both different in unique ways but what binds you two together is that unbreakable twin sibling bond and family," Marinette reminded the two, who almost immediately faltered in their arguing and let out a breath of needed air, leaving a content feeling in the air.

"Sorry Emma."

"It's alright Hugo, sorry about making fun of your hobbies."

"It's ok, I kinda don't talk to a lot of people anyway."

"Wow, Mari, you control these kids well," Adrien had an impressed look on his face as he noticed a smug look on Marinette's face, "what?"

"Hmm... nothing, just never thought I'd see the day where you actually compliment me on my maternal teaching methods. What a time to be alive," Marinette said in a teasing tone as she pressed the button to open the elevator doors and they were exposed again into the light of the top floor. Adrien chuckled as he nudged Marinette with his shoulder and they all walked out together.

"Haha.. but seriously though Mari, it's great to see you again, truly, after 15 years. I hope time hasn't made you lose your touch," Adrien laughed as he heard Marinette scoff right next to him.

"Oh please, I've still got it. It's great to see you again too Adrien, really. I never got the chance... to tell you how sorry I am... for disappearing. You knew I had my reasons and yet I let your heart be broken anyway. I'm such a terrible person," Marinette reminisced the bad memories as Adrien felt himself frown at her words. He then put his hands softly on her shoulders and spoke into her eyes.

"I know you had your reasons, and you can always tell me when you're ready, but right now, I'm just happy I get to see you again. Wait until you meet -AHH Alya!" Adrien exclaimed as he saw a flash of brown and ombré hair sprint in from his peripheral and tackle Marinette.

"MARINETTE!!! OH MY GOD!!! MA GURL'S ALIVE!!!" Alya screamed happily as Marinette couldn't help but laugh as Alya spun her around happily. Adrien and Nino who just caught up smiled brightly as Marinette couldn't help but laugh.

"Alya! Oh my goodness! It's been the longest time! Alya, you can stop crying now," Marinette smiled and laughed nervously as she noticed Alya bawling into her shoulder. Marinette rubbed her shoulder comfortingly before Alya pulled away with a big smile.

"I'm sorry, it's just, you're here! You're really here! Standing! In front of me!" Alya cried as she wiped the tears away from her face. Marinette smiled softly as Alya's face was still wet with tears but she couldn't help letting out some tears too. Alya gave Marinette another hug before Marinette turned to Nino and gave him a heartwarming hug.

"It's been a while Nino, I hope you've been well," Marinette pulled away from Nino, who smiled bright and winked at her.

"You know it, so Marinette? Who's the lucky guy to these children? They look like wonderful kids," Nino asked bluntly as Marinette immediately pressed her lips into a thin line and focused on a non specific point in the background. Marinette felt her eyes flicker to Adrien immediately, who looked at her worryingly. This flicker of the eyes didn't go unnoticed by Alya, she looked from Marinette to Adrien to Hugo and Emma. It was as if she was waiting for some sort of revelation to happen, but she didn't know what it was she was waiting for.

"Oh... ummm... Sorry Nino, but he's not in the picture... not anymore. I don't even think he was even in the picture to begin with," Marinette said quietly as the others looked at her in disbelief. Audrey looked even more sadly at Marinette as she knew the entire story. Hearing those words come out of her mouth, it was painful, considering that she knew exactly what she talking about. There was a momentary silence before someone spoke up suddenly.

"Mari... tell me... who was this person who left you to care for these kids on your own?" Adrien asked seriously as Marinette winced at his words as she tried to formulate an answer.

"Adrien... it's none of your concern, really," Marinette started but she felt a pair of hands on her shoulders and she snapped her head up to look into Adrien's emerald eyes. For a moment, they just stared at each other without saying anything until Adrien spoke up.

"Mari... it's fine, I won't pry, don't cry. You don't have to tell us," Adrien murmured as wiped Marinette's cheek with his thumb and Marinette felt herself blush and excuse herself lightly. Adrien had a slightly shocked face before returning back to normal.

"No! It's completely fine! It's been 15 years, it's natural for you guys to want to know more about me. There's just some sensitive things I'd rather keep to myself. Plus! I want to know more about you guys!" Marinette tried to change the subject as the other people were oblivious to what she was trying to do but they went with it anyway. The five of them plus Hugo and Emma proceeded down to a cafe that was right by the building and they talked there. There was much laughter and cheerfulness that was heard at the table. Marinette couldn't remember the last time she felt this... at peace... happy. Seeing all of her friends again, it was almost like things went back to the way they were before, but she knew that was impossible. Nothing would ever be the same again, but she liked to dream. Near the end of their lively chat, Marinette felt herself frown, she knew there was no point trying since they were out in the open but she suspected that "He Who Must Not Be Named" would find out by now.

"Marinette, you ok?" Marinette heard Nino ask as she raised her head slightly to give a forced smile.

"Yeah! What makes you say otherwise?" Marinette asked as she grabbed a napkin and wiped off the food stain on the corner of Emma's mouth, who accepted it happily. Hugo continued to eat silently, but he always had one eye on his mom.

"Nothing, you just seemed to be bothered by something," Nino commented as he finished his croissant. Marinette pursed her lips again as the others looked at her with worry.

"Hmmm... I would be lying if I said something wasn't bothering me. However, it's something that's not of your concern... so it's ok," Marinette replied thoughtfully as Adrien frowned as her again. He noticed she was a lot more secretive and a lot less open. Usually, Marinette liked to share her feelings and spread happiness to others. That's what he loved about her, but something's changed and it's a bad thing. Marinette then looked at her watch, gasped, and looked at Audrey, "oh my goodness, I have to go, I got a pitch I need to propose for my new fashion line. It's the project with the Gabriel brand remember?"

"Oh dear, you're right! You gotta present that pitch to the Gabriel brand representatives in 30 minutes! You'll make it if you go right now!" Audrey stood up with Marinette, Hugo, and Emma as they turned to the trio and quickly made their farewells. Marinette took a little longer cause she had something to say.

"It's been a dream... seeing all of you again, truly... I want to thank you for letting me see you one last time," Marinette whispered but they all heard it, what made it even more heartbreaking was that she looking directly at Adrien, who felt his heart slowly get ripped, "But... there's just too many forces that prevent me from seeing you guys. Forgive me... but this is the last time you'll see me for a long while. Hugo, Emma, say goodbye to my dearest friends."

"Bye Mr and Mrs Lahiffe! Bye Mr. Agreste! It was nice talking to you about fencing!" Emma chirped sadly as Adrien gave her a warm but apologetic look. Hugo then spoke up.

"Thank you for making Maman happy again... especially you Mr. Agreste. I know how much you all mean to Maman. Don't get mad at her for saying goodbye. I'll say.. see you later," Hugo whispered from behind Marinette, who smiled down at him. Marinette took one last look at Adrien before turning around and quickly leaving with Audrey. The trio took a few minutes to process what just happened. Adrien spoke up first as she leaned forward and leaned on his forearms.

"Marinette... what happened to you?" Adrien whispered, expecting no particular answer. Alya looked worriedly in the direction that Marinette walked off in. Adrien replayed Hugo and Emma's goodbyes in his head, there was something about them that he wanted to cherish. Nino put his face into his hands as he stared at the table.

"Hmmmm... it's no use trying to ponder about it. But... I suggest we tail them, Marinette's definitely hiding something," Alya concluded as they both looked at her and nodded. Somehow, she could get them to agree to the strangest things that seemed like it be bordering on creepy and illegal.

"Alright, you can make it if you just got to the Gabriel brand headquarters, good luck," Audrey said as they all made it back to Style Queen magazine building. Marinette and Audrey were standing in the midst of a crowd in front of the building when all the sudden Marinette heard a whisper in her ear.

"Go see Gabriel Agreste."

"What the?! Who was that?" Marinette whipped around in the sea of people and didn't see anyone strange in particular who stood out who would say that. Audrey whipped around as well as she also must have heard it. Marinette narrowed her eyes at nothing in particular as she was trying to what to do. She then heard another whisper's breath make its way into her ears.

"The cafe on la rue Leblanc. See you there."

"Tch... who said that... Gabriel... you coward... what are you pulling?" Marinette murmured to herself as Hugo and Emma looked around in fear like a deer in the headlights. She suddenly felt Audrey next to her as she whispers.

"Do you want me to go with you? I don't know what he's planning this time, but are you sure you'll be able to handle him on your own?" Audrey asked as Marinette tried to scan the crowd for any suspicious people but to no avail, she didn't find any.

"I'll deal with him... alone... what more could he possibly do? Actually... don't answer that. But I am gonna need Louis to take the twins. I need to make this one on one," Marinette said as Audrey nodded in understanding. Marinette then fished out her phone and quickly dialed Louis' phone number. After one ring, he picked up, his school was out for the day anyway.

"Hey Mom! Did you need something?"

"Louis, I need you to come to the cafe on la rue Leblanc, you know it right?"

"Yeah, I think so, I think it's about a 10 minute walk from here. Why is there something wrong?"

"Yes, I need you to take the twins while I have a meeting with Gabriel at the cafe."

"What? Mom, what did he do to you?"

"He just wants to have a chat, by using the creepiest form of invitations possible. He sent two people to whisper the location in my ear in a sea of people."

"Oh! I've seen that sort of thing in spy movies and movies involving a criminal overlord or something. That's creepy."

"I know, but sweetie, can I trust you to look after the twins with Audrey?"

"Alright! I'll be right there!"

"Thank you sweetie, I'll see you there, love you."

"Love you too Mom."

"Alright, that's handled," Marinette sighed as she put away her phone and Audrey looked at her worryingly. Hugo and Emma clutched onto their mother's arms in worry, "It's time to give that man a visit." Audrey nodded as she wished Marinette good luck as she went back into the building. She knew she was going to pass the cafe they were just having lunch at but she thought they would have left. She was wrong. As she passed in a rush past the cafe, the trio saw her rush past the cafe as if she was had something serious to deal with.

"Isn't the Gabriel building in the other direction? Where is she going?" Alya asked as she suddenly stood up as Adrien narrowed his eyes at Marinette, Hugo, and Emma as they disappeared from view.

"I don't know, but we have to follow her, just don't let her catch us, Alya, you have some hats and coats we could use for disguises?" Adrien asked as he saw Alya give him a smug smirk.

"Bitch please... OF COURSE I have disguises, I have them in the van. Nino, let's go!" Alya beckoned them to follow back to the van to get the disguises. Five minutes later, they were all decked out in disguises and they were going in the direction Marinette was heading in. They saw Marinette turn onto the Rue Leblanc and they followed her past the turn while keeping a reasonable distance . Soon, they saw the trio walking up hurriedly to a cafe and they stood there as if they were waiting for somebody. Adrien, Alya, and Nino kept looking at her before they saw a blond boy with his backpack run across the street from the other side to greet Marinette, Hugo, and Emma.

"That's the boy from before, that's her oldest son, Louis," Adrien whispered as Alya took note of that and looked on at group further down the street. They then walked a little closer so they could be within earshot distance. He noticed that the boy had blond hair and bluebell eyes, he wondered where he got the almost platinum blond hair from.

"Mom! Are you ok?" Louis asked as he kissed both his mother's cheeks. Marinette smiled at him before sporting a semi-serious look again.

"No, Gabriel is back, and he wants to have a talk, Louis, I need you the kids and go back home," Marinette pleaded with Louis, who immediately looked sour. The trio that was listening in couldn't believe their ears.

"No way, I'm not gonna leave you alone with him after what he did 8 years ago-"

"What did he do 8 years ago?" Hugo asked as the two older people looked at him with slight shock.

"It's something that concerns you two. Just know that Gabriel is a person you should stay away from. Being in his presence is not a place for children," Marinette whispered with a grim look on her face that Louis mirrored. Adrien narrowed his eyes at the group. What were they talking about?

"It's not something you need to fully know about Hugo. Emma, you too. But Mom, I'm not gonna leave you alone with him." Louis started but Marinette softly cut him off.

"I know sweetie, but this is something I need to do alone, I can't risk your safety. But if you aren't going home, I need you three to stay a reasonable, far away distance from our conversation. Here," Marinette explained as she fished a recording device out of her purse and handed it to Louis, who looked at it questioningly, "This will record Gabriel's entire conversation with me because I have the speaker hidden somewhere."

"Maman, are you sure you're gonna be ok?" Emma asked as Marinette bent down so she could kiss Emma's forehead.

"I'll be ok sweetie, this is just a conversation between adults," Marinette reassured the three but she heard a cold voice behind her that sent a chill down her spine. Marinette turned around slowly to find Gabriel standing there, wearing that same stone cold statue expression from 15 years ago. Adrien, Alya, and Nino gasped as other people around them have started to take notice of Gabriel's presence.

"Father... what are you doing here with Marinette?" Adrien whispered as he saw Alya taking down serious notes in her notepad. What business could his father possibly have with Marinette? She lost contact for 15 years, was he in contact with her the entire time? That's impossible, right?

"Good afternoon Ms. Dupain Cheng, how have you been doing?" Gabriel asked, Marinette looked at him with her body facing to the side. It was neither leisurely nor friendly in the slightest, in fact, the cold aura between made the air almost palpable. Marinette's bluebell eyes seemed to turn to ice, mirroring Gabriel's. It was a chilling sight.

"Fine enough, I suppose you've been well," Marinette whispered, barely even above hearing range.Gabriel proceeded to flicker his eyes towards Louis, Hugo, and Emma. He narrowed his eyes at them as if they were the bane to his existence.

"Ah, I see these are your children..." Gabriel mused as Marinette immediately stepped in front of them and glared at Gabriel, making him widen his eyes slightly in surprise.

"Gabriel Agreste... it's you..." Louis said threateningly as Gabriel narrowed his eyes at the boy behind Marinette. By this time, people have stopped to watch the following exchange in great interest as to why THE Gabriel Agreste was out in broad daylight.

"Ah, Louis Dupain Cheng, I recall the last time I saw you was 8 years ago, do you still remember?" Gabriel asked as Louis felt his insides churn and flip at his presence.

"How could I forget? It's a day that I couldn't forget even if I wanted to," Louis whispered as Marinette looked back at her son worryingly. Adrien, Alya, and Nino could only hear snippets of the conversation since they were speaking so quietly but one thing they knew for sure: Marinette and Gabriel were on really bad terms.

"I see... Marinette, I believe you and I have business to discuss," Gabriel said as Marinette nodded and turned slightly to her kids.

"Louis, keep them safe. I love you guys," Marinette said as she tearfully looked at the three of them, who looked back at her in worry. She turned back to follow Gabriel but then she heard Hugo and Emma shout;

"Maman! Be safe! Come back to us!"

"Don't worry... I promise," Marinette whispered to herself as she continued to the cafe with Gabriel and sat with him in a VIP section of the cafe. They were closed off from the outside world. No one could talk them into focusing on anything else, their hatred for each other was just too much. Adrien, Alya, and Nino proceeded to get a table at the cafe and sat about 2 tables away from them. They were still in disguise so Gabriel and Marinette wouldn't take notice. They both ordered a cup of tea and soon, the pot of tea and two ornate teacups came to the table. They each poured a cup and sat there in silence. Soon, Gabriel finally spoke up.

"How have you been Marinette?"

"Cut the bullshit, I know you aren't one for small talk. Tell me, what do you want?" Marinette spoke immediately with her eyes focused on her cup of tea, without even looking at him. She then set her cup down and looked up at him with a cold look in her eyes. Adrien felt his eyes widen in shock at Marinette's words.

"Hmph, you know me well-"

"A little too well... more than I would like."

"Let's just discuss the real reason why I called you here," Gabriel said as he sipped his cup of tea, he then put it down and looked at her icily while whispering so others couldn't hear, "I thought we discussed the terms of the contract, have I not made myself clear?"

"You have, trust me, however, the entire premise of that contract is now null and void."

"Whatever do you mean?"

"You made me sign that contract on the premise that Adrien was too young to be a father at 18. Look at him Gabriel, he's 32, he has the right to know about his children," Marinette sighed quietly as Alya huffed in frustration as none of could catch what she was saying.

"I'm well aware of his age-"

"Then what is it Gabriel? The longer you hide it, the more it's going to blow out of proportion, is that what you want?"

"I suggest you don't question me Marinette, or I will see to it that you and your family will face the consequences for breaking the contract," Gabriel whispered with a deadly aura as Marinette sat there unfazed and unruffled by any comment.

"Always the jackass I see, nothing's changed to mediate that temper of yours. How disappointing," Marinette whispered tauntingly at him, with the breath of nostalgia and bitterness. Gabriel sat back in his chair and glared at her as he smiled in amusement.

"I see you're more comfortable at cursing."

"That's completely irrelevant Gabriel. My word choice has nothing to do with what you're suggesting," Marinette interjected quietly as Adrien, Nino, and Alya watched the entire exchange. They had such a cold and deadly chemistry that it was horrifying to watch. Marinette became a completely different person, cold and unfazed, the complete opposite of what she was before, "As I said before, he's 32, but there's something more to your contract. You're trying to hide them for a different reason," Marinette said quietly so only Gabriel could hear. Gabriel laughed as Marinette looked at him questioningly.

"Well done Ms. Dupain Cheng, you're right, there is another reason why I'm still making you keep quiet..."

"And what would that be?"

"I don't want Adrien to know he has any children at all, especially coming from you. He's engaged to Kagami, it's practically too late to spring the surprise on him. Your children were a mistake, I can't let him know he had any diluted/mutt breed children, what would that do?" Gabriel leaned over the table and whispered to her as Marinette immediately gripped the tea cup handle tightly and set it down harshly on the table, almost breaking the dish. The loud clang attracted the attention of everyone in the cafe but Marinette didn't care.

"Tch... Gabriel, that is the stupidest reason I have ever heard. I beg you to call my children "diluted/mutt breed children" again and I swear I will make sure you never speak again," Marinette gritted her teeth as she said that rather loudly. Adrien and the group heard this and felt slightly appalled.

"I didn't hear what he said but he called her children mutts? Really?" Alya asked as Adrien looked worryingly at Marinette and his father. Why was his father saying those things to her? He had no business with her children, right?

"Making threats I see, you have certainly grown more bold since we last met. Your son, Louis I believe, compensated for your boldness and stabbed me in the hand. You're extremely lucky I didn't press charges, the amount of money it would have to taken to get your lives out of that mess," Gabriel whispered as Marinette immediately replied, raising the cup to drink again.

"Hmph, you did decide to press charges you fucking liar but I can't be tried again for that case since it was dismissed with prejudice. There was incriminating evidence against you but you had the court tied up for months because of your team of lawyers that fabricated evidence. Don't think I don't know how you managed to get the scalpel declared inadmissible but I know you did something. Although Gabriel, I hope you learned that money's one thing, a life's another, you think you can just blindly ruin lives through money?" Marinette said calmly as Gabriel chuckled and settled back into his chair.

"You're a clever women Marinette, of course you'd know if I did something. But let me make this clear. You are in no position to make any claims or accusations against me. It's my word against yours, and who do you think is gonna win?" Gabriel asked solemnly as Marinette felt her eyes widen slightly but that was the only indication that she was slightly bothered.

"I can't prove it. Yes I know, the case was dismissed with prejudice but trust me, I'll know when you try to do something underhanded so just cut the crap, Louis, Hugo, and Emma have a right to get to know their father, even if Adrien himself doesn't know it. Can you at least grant that?" Marinette sighed as Gabriel looked thoughtfully at her. Gabriel after a while sighed and spoke.

"I do see your point, however, if you let Adrien find out that those three are his children, you won't have to worry about protecting your family anymore. Because I'll erase your family right then and there. Give me any reason to think that you'd disobey and consider yourself permanently irrelevant," Gabriel whispered lowly to Marinette, who finally cracked a little and dropped her cup suddenly and felt her eyes widen in slight terror, "you and your kids are allowed to interact with Adrien and your friends, but you know what's at stake."

"You don't need to warn me jackass, I already know."

"Alright, glad we had this talk, good day Marinette, I hope that recording device got everything," Gabriel said thoughtfully as he nodded to Marinette, stood up and walked out of sight, leaving Marinette along to recollect herself. However, she couldn't and she started sobbing right there at that table. Adrien was about to go over to here and comfort her but he saw her kids rush over to her table and beat him to it.

"Mom, are you ok? Don't worry I told Hugo and Emma to cover their ears at the cursing," Louis said as he took two more chairs to the table and the three sat down with their mom. Marinette finally looked up at him and laughed slightly. Hugo took the napkin and gently wiped away her tears.

"Maman, you really like to use your potty words don't you?" Hugo asked as he and Emma shot her the same look. Marinette laughed nervously as she took note of what he said.

"Wait, who told you to call it potty words?"

"Louis, he said it was funnier to say that than bad words or mean words or curse words. He's right though," Hugo chirped as Marinette looked teasingly at Louis who smiled in embarrassment, with his hand on his neck.

"Louis..." Marinette said scoldingly but laughed, "thank you for protecting them."

"Don't worry, just doing my job as an older brother," Louis flashed his million dollar smile that resembled Adrien's but he turned serious as soon as he made that smile, "so what are you gonna do Mom? You can't let yourself suffer forever."

"You're right... I need help, I just need to get back into the swing of things with my friends and Adrien again. I told them they would never see me again but the truth is, I need them. I want to be friends again, be in each other's lives again. I can't be alone in this forever," Marinette concluded as the three of them nodded in agreement.

"I completely agree Maman! Cause let's face it, you've been out of the loop for 15 years and haven't had good friendly human contact in 15 years. You need friends," Emma commented as Marinette looked her dumbfounded and laughed wholeheartedly along with the rest of the family. Adrien and the others by now have dropped the previous conversation and focused on the current happy one.

"I suppose I do... Alya.. Nino... I do hope we can be friends again. And Adrien..." Adrien widen his eyes at her words and felt his heart flutter in happiness at her continued words but felt a little sadness at her last ones for some reason.

"I hope we can still be there for each other and be the light in each other's lives again, like the good old days. Best friends..."


	6. Chapter5:LesQualitiesdelaFamille

Chapter 5: Les Qualities de la Famille

It was a couple of days after the incident with Gabriel. Marinette didn't feel exactly good about what had transpired but she had to move forward nonetheless. Marinette packed Hugo and Emma's lunches for the day and started cooking breakfast as usual. However, she wasn't as fully into it as before, her mind kept going back Gabriel's conversation with her and she felt chills down her spine. Soon, she heard two pairs of footsteps barrel down the stairs and she turned around to find Hugo packing his stuff and Emma spinning around the room. Soon, she heard Louis come down the stairs and let out a soft chuckle, watching Emma.

"What a weirdo... Emma, you're gonna get dizzy if you keep spinning," Louis called out to her as she stopped spinning and looked at her older brother with a pout. Hugo snorted and rushed over to Marinette who gently guarded him from the stove.

"Stay away from the stove sweetie, it's hot, you guys ready for school?" Marinette asked as she felt Louis walk behind her and prepare his own lunch on the opposite counter. Hugo nodded and walked back to where he was to pick up his backpack, "Hugo, got your inhaler?"

"Yep, got everything..." Hugo mused as he zipped up his bag and Emma bounded in step with him towards the door as Louis slipped a toast into his mouth and grabbed his lunch and backpack.

"Alright, Mom! We'll meet up at Grandpa Dupain and Grandma Cheng's house later right? I'll take Hugo and Emma straight there from school!" Louis called out as Hugo and Emma waved at Marinette as long as they could before he shut the door. Marinette called back out to them and sighed as the door closed and she could hear the faint steps of her children fade. Marinette sighed as she looked around the condo and sighed again wistfully to herself.

"Well, might as well get ready," Marinette walked to her room and got ready for the day. Today, Marinette thought to go with a magenta button up blouse with the bottom tucked in by a white pencil skirt. She kept her hair in the usual long wavy bob and grabbed her purse to set out for the day. She was gonna head over to her parent's bakery first to visit before she had to go to Style Queen Magazine to finish talking with Audrey. Audrey was such a nicer fashion designer than Gabriel, she found his designs to be a little too extravagant and it no longer had the elegance it graced from before. It just became stuffy, or at least that's what she thought. Marinette soon locked the door to the condo and walked out peacefully to her car. 15 minutes later, she parked right outside of her parents' bakery and stepped out to look at it. It still was the best bakery in France, even after all these years. Marinette locked her car and made her way into the bakery, hearing a soft jingle ring through the air. When she walked through the door, she was immediately enveloped in the warm atmosphere of the exuberant smell of the buttercream and light dusting of sugar lacing the air. She then heard shouts coming from behind the counter and she saw Tom and Sabine Cheng rushing out from behind the counter to hug her in a family group hug. Tom got a little thinner and he has a few stray white hairs in his coiffeur however, he was still that beaming bundle of grotesque energy. He still loved baking with all of his heart, that's what Marinette loved.

"Marinette! My daughter! What brings you by the bakery? You said you wouldn't come until later with the kids, how's Hugo doing by the way? Does he still have that antisocial shtick?" Tom finally let go of Marinette, who smiled bright at her parents.

"Yeah, I decided to come by early, and don't worry Papa, Hugo's fine, he still has that antisocial problem but he's doing a lot better with it," Marinette sighed as the three of them went behind the counter and talked while they worked. There wasn't any need for words to be exchanged about Marinette automatically working there, sure she had another job, but she still enjoyed working here, it was one of her first jobs. She got paid in free desserts though.

"How's Louis? He's a bright young boy, how is he doing in school?" Sabine said as she put the apron back on and went into the kitchen.

"Oh Louis? He's doing really well, mostly A's in all classes but he's beat out by a couple of those computer/engineering kids, they're practically geniuses. I don't really care about that though, of course I want him to do well, but he makes up for being shy away from being the top student by his natural likability. His charisma and kindness was what made him class president and active member in so many clubs. I worry that he overexerts himself too much, as if he was responsible for everything. I wish he would relax a little more," Marinette thought aloud as she scanned over the pick up orders for the day and looked at the counter to see if there was anyone waiting for a pickup. She felt Sabine come up behind her and kiss her on the cheek.

"He was always a spirited boy, he would do absolutely anything to keep smiles on the people around him, especially you Marinette," Sabine mused as she brought out the next couple of batches for cake samples. Marinette sighed as she nodded and brought out the next order, that was still on the rotating stand that kept orders.

"Hmmm... a mousseline buttercream coffee cake, that's oddly specific, and a bit expensive. Where have I heard that order before?" Marinette wondered aloud as she placed the cake in question on a small plate with a simple and clean fork. She dusted sugar around the edges and placed a single row of chocolate on the side. Coffee goes well with chocolate, so why not? She then brought it out without looking at the next person in line, "Here you go sir."

"Hmmm... I don't remember a row of Swiss chocolate being on my plate, the last time I ordered this. Are you doing something special?"

"Oh no, it's nothing I-" Marinette started but when she looked up, she gasped at the person who was in front of her. It was the last person she would have expected to be here, why did it have to be him of all people. She knew that handsome mop of ruffled blond hair anywhere: Adrien. She continued to stare at the man in question, who had a smirk on his face looking at her, "Adrien! Oh my goodness! What are doing here?"

"Surprised? I usually come here for my morning coffee and cake, I actually wasn't expecting to see you here. Glad to know that you still love baking, there's some things that I'm glad don't change," Adrien winked at her as Marinette finally snapped out of her reverie and smiled wholeheartedly at him. She wasn't afraid anymore, she would have panicked before but she genuinely wanted Adrien back in her life.

"Glad to know your taste in bakeries hasn't changed, you still come to the best bakery in Paris, I thought that deserved something," Marinette winked back at him and realized, was she flirting with him? She was joking... right? She then saw the momentary blush and wide smile on his face. She then heard her parents come up from behind her.

"Ahh! Adrien, have you come from your usual?" Tom asked as he was about to get the cake ready but Adrien stopped him.

"Don't worry Mr. Dupain, Marinette already delivered it," Adrien shook his head politely as Tom and Sabine looked slightly worriedly at Marinette, wondering how she would react, since they know about her situation. To their surprise and also to their sweet relief, she looked completely composed.

"Yeah, don't worry Papa, it's fine," Marinette said as she turned back to Adrien with a genuine smile on her face, it was something he wanted to see for years, and now he got it. Adrien smirked at her again and picked up his treat. He turned around to leave for a table and then he asked over his shoulder.

"Hey, Marinette, wanna join me?" Adrien asked as Marinette thought about it for a second before nodding.

"I don't see why not, fine, I'll join you," Marinette mused as she came out from behind the counter and sat down with Adrien in one of the tables in the bakery. As she sat down, she noticed Adrien paying special attention to her movements, noticing every crinkle in her dress as she sat down. The tensing of her hands as she used them to support herself as she slowly sat down in the chair, it was such an intense stare that Marinette felt a little exposed. Marinette then gave him a sweet smile as Sabine brought over a cup of tea for Marinette. Sabine then excitedly squealed as she scurried back behind the counter to watch with Tom. They knew Adrien was already engaged, and it wasn't fair that they knew that Louis, Hugo, and Emma were Adrien's children, but it didn't stop them from shipping them. (Lol)

"We caught up so much the other day but I actually never did get around to ask you about your kids," Adrien said as he took a bite from his cake as Marinette weighed the choice in her mind. It wouldn't hurt to tell him about her (their) children since it's just casual banter right? Probably not, plus it would be nice for Adrien to know about his kids, even if he doesn't know it.

"Alright, who would you like to know about first?" Marinette replied happily as she saw Adrien's face light up for a second before asking happily.

"Hmmm... let's start with your daughter, Emma, I know that she is the fraternal twin of your younger son Hugo but what else is there?" Adrien said as Marinette thought carefully about her daughter's personality and her quirks, things she thought Adrien should know.

"Emma, well, you're right, she is the fraternal twin of Hugo, she's feisty, sassy, and she really loves to give me sass when it really doesn't benefit her. She loves to draw and she's the queen bee in her school, her friends tell me that she's a very likable person as she's courageous and refuses to be a bystander to any sort of injustice. I feel like sometimes, she's a little left out in the antics that Louis and Hugo get up to, such is the bond between brothers," Marinette explained as Adrien smiled as he took notice about how considerate and passionate she is about talking about her kids, "One example is how she just watches Louis, Hugo, and I play Ultimate Mecha Strike 3-"

"Oh my god, you still play that?" Adrien asked incredulously while laughing lightly as Marinette looked at him with a slight pout, which he found absolutely adorable.

"Yes! What's wrong with that?"

"Oh no, it's nothing, I hope you're not rusty, I'd like to play you sometime," Adrien chuckled and winked at her while Marinette felt a surge of pride course through her. Marinette leaned onto her forearms and placed her head on her laced fingers and looked at him teasingly.

"Of course I'm not rusty, Mr. Agreste, you've never beaten me once, even when we were teens, the only times you won were either because I let you or you distracted me with that charm of yours," Marinette replied slyly as Adrien smirked and leaned closer so they were both eye level. It didn't exactly occur to Marinette that she was this close to Adrien until she noticed his handsome face smirking at her from barely 3 inches away.

"Charm huh? Trust me, I've gotten better, honestly, although what I'd like to see is you, try to be beat me while trying to resist that charm of mine now," Adrien chuckled as he remembered how whenever he was on a losing streak with Marinette, he would use his charm and flirtatious nature to catch her off guard. It's a truly dangerous combination, having both charisma and a flirtatious nature, but his likable charisma overpowers the flirting so he's a truly kind person who uses flirting in moderation. Marinette knew this as she knew him all throughout high school, but it's crazy to think that his charm has just gotten better, which makes it worse for her.

"What makes you think I'm gonna actually fall for your charm?"

"I don't know... are you?" Adrien asked with a smirk as they continued to stare slyly at each other before they both realized the amount of flirtatious tension between the two and sprung apart, coughing to mask the moment they just had. Adrien smiled at her again before asking, "alright, what about Hugo?"

"O-o-oh right, sorry," Marinette composed herself before going on, "Hugo, he's such a mama's boy, kinda like Louis when he was younger, he never leaves my side and he's always saying the smartest things. He's extremely observant, that's why he doesn't speak a lot, but trust me, he speaks just as well as Emma. Unlike Emma, he was always.. rather serious and cautious about most things. However, when he's around us, he turns into this fun loving, adorable kid who's extremely talkative. In school he's like what I told you earlier, but he completely changes mood when he's with us."

"Well of course, he's with his family after all, of course he would be a lot more open," Adrien smiled at Marinette, who smiled gratefully back at him. Adrien couldn't help get the feeling that whenever he was with Marinette, he was so much happier and he would actually forget he had a fiancée.

"I suppose you're right. Now, onto Louis, he's... sorta like my best friend, he is always so considerate of everyone around him. He sees the best in everyone around him and he's a great judge of character. He's sorta like you in a sense, you were always were that boy with overflowing charisma and everyone liked you for it since you're so kind. You always saw the best in everyone, even Chloe," Marinette pondered aloud as she compared Louis to Adrien, who blushed at the comparison, "he's extremely kind towards his siblings and they only get into those playful fights about silly things. It's only once in a while that they actually fight about something big. He does well in school but he really has his schedule cut out for him, in addition for the clubs he's in and his piano classes. I'm amazed that he can manage it that well without my help."

"He plays the piano? I kinda want to see him play sometime," Adrien said thoughtfully as Marinette smiled at him.

"You could play a duet piece with him if you want to play with him."

"That's a fantastic idea! I'm actually kinda getting pretty tired of just playing solos, a duet would be nice!" Adrien smiled tiredly at Marinette who nodded gratefully at his approval. For some strange reason, he found himself to be really happy, that he would be able to play piano with Marinette's son. Little did he know how happy Marinette was about it too, even more than him. Seeing both father and son play, it would be a dream come true for her. Marinette and Adrien continued to chat happily in the bakery as a small storm was brewing elsewhere.

At Jean-Lafayette College ( This is if you don't know, but in France, the name's of the schools are actually the other way around. The word College is actually French for an elementary school over there, like primary school.

It was lunch time and all of kids got to go out and play. Hugo was never really the type to get along socially with other people. He always hung out by himself. There was this spot he always went to; a grove of willow trees that had medium, cozy soft grassy spot in the center. From the blacktop, it was past this vast field of grass for field sports on the other side. No one bothered him there, or at least he didn't think anyone would. Hugo liked to write about whatever he could observe; in poems or in songs, it didn't matter, he truly felt at peace here. The only person he actually talks to is Emma anyway so it didn't really matter. Hugo peered at the willow branches that were swaying low near the ground, enchanted by their dance. He could hear the children shouting off in the distance and he could hear the sounds of nature as well. He would have almost felt himself phase out into the natural energy of the universe until he heard a sudden movement in the bushes in front of him. No one but Emma is supposed to know about this place, but Emma doesn't usually bother him unless if it's something she wanted to share really badly that it couldn't wait. Judging by the excessive amount of rustling and the quickening steps, Hugo deducted that it couldn't be Emma as she knows her way into the grove without making much disturbance in the bushes as there are animals living nearby. Besides, he did show her how to get in without ruffling the bushes that much. Hugo almost got up but fell back down on his butt when he saw who it was: Constantine, Chloe Bourgeois' son.

Emma took particular note on how Constantine was eyeing Hugo evilly as Hugo went off on his own and walked across the field to disappear into the grove of willow trees on the other side. Emma felt her body go on alert when she saw Constantine follow shortly after as that could mean nothing good. Emma quickly excused herself from her friends and chased after Constantine. Her friends, who were also curious as to where was she going, followed suit. She was barely behind Constantine before she saw him tear through the bushes towards Hugo. Emma gritted her teeth as she knew her brother wasn't as good at confrontation but he could hold his own, she hopes.

Hugo stared fixedly on Constantine as the blond haired boy in question smirked evilly with his ice cold eyes. It was nothing like Louis' eyes, his are warm and comforting, it looked like a beautiful sky blue. Ice blue is beautiful in a way but the feeling is terrible.

"What do you want Constantine?" Hugo asked annoyingly as he stood up but he immediately felt a hard shove in his shoulders and fell back down with a soft thud, "what was that for?!"

"I told you I would make your life a living hell when she rejected me, she was actually warming up to me too," Constantine spat out like poison but Hugo shot him a exasperated look before asking.

"Aren't you not supposed to say 'hell'? Isn't that like a bad word or something," Hugo asked nervously as Constantine let out a laugh.

"Always the cautious one aren't we Hugo? Let me make this clear, Emmikins will be mine, understand? You can't protect your sister forever," Constantine asked in a creepy tone that reminded Hugo of those intimidating villains on those dramas Maman watches. Hugo summoned enough courage to say what he never would say out loud.

"She's never gonna date you man! That sweet and nice demeanor is just an act! You are just as egotistical as your mom! I'm her brother for a reason! As her twin, it is my duty to save her from creeps like you!" Hugo snapped angrily as Constantine chuckled and stalked closer to Hugo, who was standing up. Hugo slowly backed away as Constantine drew closer.

"Before you say your prayers, explain to me why not?"

Hugo already had an answer in mind and he had no qualms saying it, "It's because WE'RE ONLY EIGHT! Don't you think you're starting the crazy romance phase a little early?" Hugo said exasperatedly as Constantine laughed and coldly dismissed it.

"It's never too early for love-"

"Uh, ya think?"

"Hugo's right Constantine," A voice called out to the two boys from a couple of feet away. Constantine turned around and Hugo looked pasted him to find a worried Emma entering the clearing. Emma then ran past Constantine and placed herself between Constantine and Hugo, "I'm not exactly sure if I want to have a relationship, after all, we're only 8. However, there's one thing I am sure about and that is you will never harass or bully my twin brother EVER!"

"But Emmikins... I..." Constantine started but he was suddenly interrupted by increasing amounts of people who found the grove. Hugo felt his face pale as he heard the whispers and voices of the tens of people that invaded the space. His precious space... is disappearing. Hugo felt his lungs constrict as he, Emma, and Constantine were getting crowded by onlookers. He never felt so claustrophobic before, he felt like he was drowning. Hugo reached for his backpack and pulled out his inhaler. He immediately brought the inhaler to his lips and took a puff, trying to ignore the increasingly burning feeling in his lungs. It was like his lungs were moving differently when he had asthma, it felt really weird. Emma immediately noticed his possession of his inhaler and was about to question him before hearing the chants of the crowd around them, asking different things.

"Kiss!"

"Fight!"

"Show him what's good Emma!"

"Constantine is soooo cute... BUT FIGHT!" Emma heard this in one of the chants in the crowd but it a was little ironic because she took fencing, so she had to have a saber to actually fight. Hugo was actually the one who was skilled in the art of close combat, which was surprising, considering his personality. Emma could fight well enough, but she's not as skilled as Hugo, however his pacifist nature makes him not as eager to be strong. He may be a red belt in taekwondo but in spirit he isn't. Hugo constantly to breathe quickly in and out but he still felt the wheezing and he felt the crowd gather even closer.

"Why isn't it working?" Hugo asked as he took another puff and clutched it tightly to his chest and breathed in and out quickly. He then realized something as he felt himself hyperventilating, "The albuterol isn't working because I'm breathing too fast... It's not getting in properly... Emma." Hugo felt himself say aloud before he collapsed to his knees and felt his throat constrict painfully before blacking out. The last thing he heard was a cry for help that he knew for certain was his sister.

"HUGO!"

Meanwhile back at Dupain Cheng Patisserie

"You never actually invited to me your house once, you've been to my house or my parents' house now plenty of times!"

"Yeah... it was only because I loved hanging out here, it's so much better than hanging out at home. I just thought back then that you'd be better off not coming to my house."

"I understand but- oh wait Adrien give me a sec, my phone's ringing," Marinette interrupted as she fished her phone out of her purse and answered the call, "Hello? Yes... this is she... wait.. WHAT?!" Marinette paled as she looked frighteningly as Adrien, who looked at her with concern. Marinette made a small series of nods as the conversation continued and she finally hung up the phone. Marinette then slightly fumbled with her car keys and when she finally got them, in her anxiety, dropped them on the floor. Marinette sighed hurriedly as she picked up the keys from the floor and was stopped by Adrien.

"Marinette.. what's wrong?" Adrien asked with a worried expression creasing his face. Marinette looked at him with hesitant eyes. Adrien then thought this might have something to do with that conversation she had with his father the other day, but what she said next quelled his suspicions. It was actually worse.

Seeing the worry and caring in his eyes, she had to tell him, "It's Hugo, he got into a confrontation at school and when Emma defended him, he got an asthma attack and that insinuated hyperventilation. Apparently his inhaler wasn't working since he was breathing too fast in a panic. He's unconscious in the nurse's office right now and I have to get to him," Marinette said quietly as she felt her voice break. She then felt a pair of hands on her shoulders and she looked up to see Adrien's determined eyes.

"There is no way I'm letting you drive by yourself in this distracted condition, I'm taking you," Adrien said softly as he took the keys from her hands and softly placed them back into her purse. Marinette looked up at him with appreciation.

"You'd do that for me?"

"Of course, any time, now come on let's go, where is the school?" Adrien said as he took her hand which Marinette took note of as she explained things quickly to her parents and went out the door.

"You know Jean-Lafayette Collége?" Marinette asked as Adrien opened the car door for her before getting in himself on the other side. Adrien pondered for a sec before remembering.

"Yes, I believe I do know where it is, alright let's go!" Adrien said as he turned on the ignition and off they went towards the school. On the way, Marinette whipped out her phone and called Louis, she knew he was done for the day and should be just starting to walk there. After 2 rings, he picked up and for fun, Marinette put it on speaker for Adrien to hear. Marinette and Adrien shared a light playful smirk as Louis picked up. Of course Marinette was worried but she wanted Adrien to hear Louis at least.

"Hey Mom, what's going on?"

"Louis, Hugo had a confrontation at school and he had an asthma attack. He's in the nurse's office right now but they say he should be stabilizing soon."

"Wait? Really?! Oh my god! Was it Constantine again? I swear when I get my hands on that little morceau de merde, he is going to wish he never messed with my brother!"

"Constantine? As in Chloe's son? He goes to school with Hugo and Emma?"

"Who said that?" Louis asked as Marinette panicked as she told Adrien to shush as she tried to cover with an excuse, but not really an excuse, more like a subtle hint.

"That's a surprise, there's someone with me right now and we're heading there now, get there as soon as you can ok? Also! Who said you can use that word? Yes he is un morceau de merde but we do not say that out loud. Some things, while true, is better unsaid," Marinette explained as she heard Louis scoff and chuckle on the other line.

"Alright alright, I'm on my way, but seriously, that punk is gonna get it," Louis laughed as Marinette smiled and kissed Louis goodbye and hung up. Louis was curious as to who she was with but he couldn't make the question come up. Louis furrowed his brows as he quickly made his way to the school. Marinette and Adrien laughed as they continued on to the school. When they got there, they parked in the school parking lot and quickly made their way to the office. When they entered, they noticed Emma sitting outside in the office lobby on a chair facing the office desks. As soon as she saw Marinette, she ran up and hugged her and she was even more surprised to see Adrien squat down and give her a handshake.

"Hi Maman! Oh! Mr. Agreste! You drove her here?" Emma asked happily as Adrien nodded and Emma kept vigorously shaking his hand, "oh thank you so much! Hugo is still unconscious but he's breathing normally again. He still has some wheezes though."

"No problem Emma, just happy to help," Adrien stood back up again and Marinette smiled at him, mouthing him a "thank you" to which Adrien mouthed a "no problem." He had this warm feeling whenever they shared those moments.

"Ms. Dupain Cheng?" The office clerk called as the trio rushed up to the desk with the office clerk eyeing all of them with surprise, "The health clerk is in there with him right now, you should go see him." Marinette nodded a thanks and before she could, she heard the office door open again and she turned to see Louis in his lettermen jacket walk in hurriedly as he immediately noticed Marinette there.

"Mom, you're already here! And... Mr. Agreste..." Louis slowed down his speaking as soon as he set his eyes on Adrien who smiled questioningly at him, Marinette chuckled before stepping in between the two.

"Oh! Louis! I didn't think that you ever had the proper greeting, Louis, this is Adrien Agreste, a best friend of mine. Adrien, this is my oldest son, Louis," Marinette introduced the two as Louis stood there from slight shock from being face to face with his dad. Adrien stepped forward and held out his hand, he felt a surge of pride when Marinette called him her best friend.

"I don't think we've met Louis, how are you?" Adrien asked warmly as Louis took it upon himself to get the courage to lift his own hand and shake Adrien's. When Louis' hand finally made contact with Adrien's and shook it it warmly, Louis felt a warm, happy, giddy feeling, "Your mom told me all about you."

"Has she? It's very nice to meet you Mr. Agreste, I heard you caught up with my mom the other day, how are the twins? I'm sure you got to meet them," Louis asked as he instantly felt comfortable to strike up a conversation, he didn't really feel awkward at all. He was expecting to feel that awkwardness but Adrien's really easy to talk to.

"Oh yeah, I met them yesterday, your younger siblings are great, you must feel lucky," Adrien smirked as he ruffled Emma's hair a little, who smiled at the contact. Louis smiled to himself as this was what he imagined a conversation with his dad would be like.

"I am... but as you know, one of them, is in the health clerk's office," Louis sighed as he signaled towards the office in question where they could see Hugo lying on the bed. The group made their way into the health clerk office as the nurse gave them space to gather around the bed. Marinette could hear the wheezing still apparent in his breathing and it was killing her inside. She kept clutching her chest on slight chance that Hugo might wake up. Marinette then felt a warm, muscular arm sling around her shoulders and she looked to her left to find Adrien smiling reassuringly at her.

"Marinette, you have to breathe, calm yourself for Hugo, you don't want him to wake up to his mom in a panicked haze. Trust me, breathe..." Adrien motioned her to breath in and out, which Marinette followed and she instantly felt more calm. She wasn't completely calm but it was something.

"Thank you Adrien, always there to save the day huh? Just like when we were teenagers," Marinette thanked Adrien who smiled knowingly at her and let out a light chuckle.

"It wasn't just me, you were practically hunting for people to help, I'm just glad I got to help you once. You'd never let anyone help you, it's reminiscent of the stubbornness that seems to be toned down a lot," Adrien said as Marinette looked off into a space on the wall, not looking at particularly anything. She did notice the look in Adrien's eyes when she looked away, she recognized that look in his eyes: it was the brightness that was masking the loneliness and uncertainty that she recognized after all these years. She guessed she never really did give him an explanation for disappearing, but was she supposed to say; "I had to leave because your father has been blackmailing me for the 15 years about your kids and nearly killed one of them in a hospital?" It was better left unmentioned. Although what was amusing was that these two thought Louis and Emma weren't listening and whispering gossip.

"Is he waking up?"

"Let's hope..."

"Wait! His eyes are slightly open! I think..."

"Wait Everybody shush! He's talking!"

"Emma... are you alright?" Hugo asked he barely had his eyes open enough to see the blurred silhouettes of his family (and Adrien COUGH COUGH). Emma quickly nodded and checked his pulse even though it was pretty obvious he wasn't gonna die. It was hard for him to talk, because he had to focus all of his effort on breathing

"I'm fine Hugo, what about you? I was so worried after you collapsed, you haven't had an asthma attack that big in a long time. I thought we... might have... *sniff*... you were breathing in such harsh gasps trying to breathe, it was so painful to watch when I carried you in along with another classmate," Emma felt tears roll down her cheeks as she leaned into Marinette.

"It was Constatine wasn't it? That little prick knows no bounds when it comes to bossing people around, Emma... Hugo... watch yourselves around him," Louis warned Emma as she nodded as she looked at Louis. Hugo wasn't paying attention to anything they were saying as he was still concentrating on breathing. Adrien watched in awe of the bond between the three siblings, they were truly a wonder to watch.

"Maman... are you there?" Hugo asked with a weak rasp to his voice and when he breathed in, they all heard the banshee like wheezing that made them wince from the sound. Marinette nodded as she responded.

"Yeah Hugo, I'm here."

"Where are you?"

"I'm here," Marinette said as she reached her hand over but while Hugo was searching for her hand to grab, he ended clutching onto someone else's hand: Adrien's. Adrien widened his eyes as he felt the tiny hand grab his. Hugo clutched onto the hand but he knew immediately that it wasn't Marinette.

"This isn't you Maman... who is this? It's... warm and soft in the middle but rough around the edges," Hugo could barely make out the picture of whoever's holding his hand as the person in question responded.

"Ummm... Hugo, It's me, Adrien Agreste, Mr. Agreste? We met the other day, you said hi to me in the elevator and thanked me for giving your mom a bear hug," Adrien explained as he felt Hugo tense and then relax again. He thought he would have pulled away immediately but Hugo relaxed and kept his hand in Adrien's.

"Oh... Mister it's you, did you take Maman here?" Hugo asked with a small smile gracing his lips. Adrien nodded and gripped his hand tighter.

"Yeah I did, your mom was really worried about you, how are you feeling buddy?" Adrien asked as the nurse brought the nebulizer to the bed and filled the medicine compartment with liquid albulterol. The nebulizer is machine that helps people like Hugo who have asthma take inhaler medicine more effectively. There was a long tube that connected to the medicine compartment which was connected to a mouthpiece that administers the medicine into the lungs. The nurse placed the mouthpiece into Hugo's mouth and started the machine. Calm and deep breathing could be heard throughout the room which made the family more relaxed. Hugo used his other hand to signal a weak thumbs up as Adrien looked at him reassuringly. The nurse then turned to Adrien and Marinette with a semi-worried look on her face.

"Are you his parents? Because we have a problem," The nurse nervously wrenched her hands in front of her uniform as Adrien and Marinette widened their eyes in alarm as they denied it. Marinette was even more pale than Adrien at those words because... well you know why.

"Oh, I'm not their dad," Adrien mumbled as the nurse looked at the group in surprise as her eyes flickered between the members of the family.

"Oh, I am so sorry, I just assumed because you seem to be close with Hugo, poor soul," The nurse commented as Adrien turned to see that she was right, Adrien was still tightly and comfortingly holding Hugo's hand. He didn't shy away from holding his hand but it did make him think about her words. He did want kids of course, but he couldn't help but wonder how lucky he would be if these three were actually his. They all seem like good kids with personalities that parents would love for them to have. However, Marinette did say that the father was out of the picture, but he never knew what she meant by that, "Anyway... I know your son is recovering Ms. Dupain Cheng, but... the principal won't let him leave. It's highly frowned upon here to take out kids during the day. I wish you could sign him out." Marinette immediately tensed and stood up abruptly.

"Kids, cover your ears, this could get ugly," Marinette snarled as she motioned for them to plug their ears. Adrien watched in amusement as Marinette asked the nurse to accompany her to the principal's office. He didn't know she turned into such a potty mouth, it was rather amusing. Marinette waited until the principal came out to greet her as the nurse shrunk back into the health clerk's office. Adrien couldn't help but watch.

"Ah! Ms. Dupain Cheng, I suppose you're here about your son, well scho-"

"Listen here Principal Dumbass, I am taking my son and daughter out of school do you understand? My son could have died because of your staff's incompetence. I mean, what kind of moron wouldn't check 20 plus people heading into a grove of willow trees. Where are your fucking yard duties? I will not hesitate to 'Yelp' the crap out of this place if you refuse to let my sick child and his twin sister have the day off, do I make myself clear?" Marinette exhaled her harsh breath like a bull as she sent Principal Mistoffelees a hard death glare before he shakily gave her the sign out sheet. Adrien couldn't help but look in something similar to pride, but he didn't know what to call it. Marinette curtly signed out her children and went back into the health clerk office. As she walked in with smug smirk on her face, that face immediately changed to a face of pure terror. She quickly called out over her shoulder, "Thank you again Principal Mistoffelees!" Marinette then let out a breath she had for a while and sat down again next to Adrien.

"Wow... I didn't realize you had such gusto! The use of Yelp? Nice..." Adrien winked as he signaled an 'ok' sign to congratulate Marinette, who blushed embarrassingly and caressed Hugo's face, color finally returning to his cheeks.

"It's nothing really, sometimes you gotta be a savage to get people to stop being idiots, I mean if you're a principal, you care about the kids right? If one of them suffers an asthma attack and lands in the nurse's office or health clerk's office, either one, you'd let him or her rest for the rest of the day right?" Marinette exclaimed exasperatedly as Adrien felt his eyes flicker to Louis who also did the same as he was listening in. The two shared a look of amusement and meek understanding before listening to Marinette again. Marinette noticed them smiling cheekily at each other before directing their attention back to her again.

"Alright, the all of the albuterol has been administered, have Hugo rest here, when he can speak all sentences again, you can go," The health clerk bowed out (Honestly, idk whether to use nurse or health clerk, sorry if it's inconsistent but yeah) and took the mouth piece from Hugo who lied there with the wheezing no longer audible. Emma looked over at Hugo whose eyes were completely open and he had his hands folded on his stomach.

"Hugo? Can you talk?" Emma asked as Hugo turned his head slightly so he could look at her.

"Of course I can talk, the nebulizer is more affective than a handheld inhaler, I can talk completely fine," Hugo stated as a matter of factly as he quickly sat up in bed and let go of Adrien's hand as Emma gasped and hugged him from the side happily as Louis reached over and gave him a few comforting pats on the back.

"Glad to see you alive and making snappy comments little bro," Louis smiled genuinely as Hugo who reciprocated his wide smile, showing his teeth. Marinette joined as she rubbed Hugo's back comfortingly as Adrien sat there watching the family happily with a relieved and content smile. He didn't know why he was this incredibly relieved about Hugo's recovery, maybe it was the fact that he was the son of Marinette, whom he admires and respects as a family.. wait that phrasing is wrong, good friend. The nurse then came back and smiled at the group but then frowned at the overall picture.

"It's so weird..."

"What's weird Joy?" Marinette asked using her nickname, her full name is Joyce, but it was easier to say Joy since Louis and Hugo knew well that it's a Pokemon inside joke for them. The nurse continued to eye all of them, her eyes flitting from Adrien to the children.

"I'm sorry, but I find it so uncanny that even though you say that you're not their father Mr. Agreste and I trust your claim but I can't help but see how you fit so perfectly into their family. Not just on looks alone since they share a lot of your features, green eyes, blond hair. Maybe it's just a coincidence. It's actually not my place to say anything, I'm sorry, it's just an observation," Joy said as she put the nebulizer away. Marinette looked like someone just got murdered in the room, Louis shared the same expression. Hugo and Emma remain oblivious to this fact as they stare at Mr. Agreste with a questioning look on their faces. They never exactly had a father before but they couldn't tell if Adrien was just being really nice and concerned as a friend or if he's acting like something more. It was a mystery that even Hugo couldn't comprehend. Marinette coughed as she helped Hugo up and the rest of the family stood up as well, following suit out of the office with Adrien trailing behind. It bothered him immensely that the nurse would say that, these kids couldn't possibly be his, the twins are definitely not his since Marinette had lost contact for 15 years and the twins are eight. He was with Chloe at the time so there's no way the twins are his. That comforted him yet saddened him somehow, her kids are great. Louis however, was an enigma, if he was born 15 years ago and that's the same time Marinette disappeared on him and everyone. They did make love that night as he wistfully and nostalgically remembers but... there's no way she got pregnant from that... right? He used protection... or at least he thought he did, that one detail got blurred from a night he remembers so vividly since it was the best night of his life.

"Alright, as a treat for driving me here Adrien, let me take you and the kids out to lunch, I at least owe you that much," Marinette snapped her fingers in delight as Adrien shut the office door behind them and put away his thoughts in the recesses of his mind as he was immediately distracted by the goddess in front of him.

"Hmmm alright, I'll take you up on your offer, but on one condition," Adrien smiled widely before turning it into sly smirk as he leaned closer to Marinette who had a semi-surprised look on her face as she blushed slightly.

"U-u-uh huh? And w-what would that b-be?" Marinette asked nervously as Adrien repeated what Marinette did and snapped his fingers. Adrien and Marinette could feel the amused eyes on them.

"I get to pick the place," Adrien said as Marinette contemplated it for a moment before smiling.

"Deal."

Louis couldn't help but smile at the two, the relationship between the two was so strong it was beautiful to watch. Their banter, their flirting, their truely intimate moments were all a spectacle to watch. Knowing that both of his parents are enjoying themselves like this, that was enough for him, even if Adrien was engaged. The kids haven't seen their mom this upbeat in years, so of course they were extremely happy. Soon, the group arrived at Adrien's restaurant of choice: Nourriture Bistro. Marinette was impressed and a little underwhelmed at the same time.

"Adrien... the name is literally Food Bistro... what kind of name is that?" Marinette asked as Adrien tsked at her and gracefully held the door for all of them to walk in.

"Mock all you want Mari, but you're truly underestimating the gem that is this restaurant," Adrien said as the group was greeted by a heavenly smell of mixed herbs. The bistro had a very refined modern theme as the wood was a deep shade of black that shown with a shine. The majority of the seats were ornate metal chairs with a black leather cushion, the ones along the edges of the restaurant were black leather booth seats.

"Huh... so this is what they mean by don't judge a book by its cover," Marinette wondered aloud to herself as a waiter came up to the family (kinda tired of differentiating between group and family, they technically are family, Adrien just doesn't know that yet) and smiled at the family.

"Party of 5?" The waiter asked as Adrien and Marinette nodded and shared a chuckle as the family proceeded to a table instead of a booth. Even back then, Adrien and Marinette always somehow telepathically agree that these tables are better than booths and that they'd rather eat like this. Adrien pulled out a chair for her and Marinette thanked him quietly and sat down. Adrien then proceeded to sit next to her, with their arms almost touching and the three kids sat in the remaining chairs. Adrien then felt his phone rumble and he whipped it out to find that Kagami texted him. Marinette leaned over slightly so she could look and she asked curiously.

"Is that Kagami?" Marinette asked as Louis automatically grimaced at the name as Mairnette already told him the story. Adrien glanced over it before typing a response back and putting the phone away.

"Yeah.. she just asked where I am, I just told her I'm having lunch with a good friend of mine," Adrien said before handing Marinette a menu and the family looked it over for a bit before another waiter came to their table and when she realized who she was waiting, she squealed causing the family to wince.

"Oh my god! It's Adrien Agreste! You're more handsome in person! Not that you're not handsome on the billboards and magazines! But you look so hot today! Oh WAIT! I didn't realize you had a family! So is this your fiancee Kagami? You have three children?!" The waiter asked as she incredulously looked at all of them. Marinette looked at Adrien with a nervous chuckle, she doesn't know how he manages to stay so polite to fans when they're so... annoying.

"Oh... umm... I'm sorry, this isn't my fiancee, I'm actually out with a good friend and her family," Adrien laughed nervously as the waiter looked between all of them. Louis was trying his best not to laugh and Emma was slightly slapping Louis in an attempt to keep herself from laughing. The waiter mouthed a silent 'O' before proceeding to taker orders.

"Oh forgive me, it's just... it's not in my right to judge but you do look like a real family, what will you have today?" The waiter commented as she scanned Adrien along with the rest of the family. Anyone walking by would have assumed they were just a family going out, they would have never guessed who would be the father is supposedly just a friend (Holy Mother of Fricking Jesus Christ I committed a grave sin by saying that phrase, forgive me fandom! I hate that phrase as much as you do!)

"I'll have the passion fruit orange chicken salad sil'vous plait," Adrien asked as the waiter quickly jotted it down, Marinette felt a sly smirk tug at her lips.

"Still doing the model diet?" Marinette asked as Adrien glared at her playfully.

"It's not just about being a model, it's about eating healthy, it's good for me and it keeps me in shape," Adrien smirked at her as she playfully dismissed him as she put in her order.

"Hmmhmm if you say so, I'll take the...hmmm..." Marinette put her index finger on her lips as she couldn't decide what to choose, she then let Adrien shift next to her and she saw his finger point to a description of lime margarita fettuccini with chicken, "Oh please do shine your wisdom of lunch choices upon us, is that your suggestion?"

"Haha," Adrien said sarcastically as he immediately brightened and smiled at her, "It's actually really good here, you should try it," Marinette sighed and gave him a small, appreciative smile.

"Alright, alright, I'll have that please," Marinette said as the waiter jotted down the next one as Marinette directed her attention to the kids, "What do you guys want? And Emma, don't pick a dessert as a main dish again."

"Why not?" Emma pouted as Marinette deadpanned as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Cause sweetie the last time you ate something sugary before an actual dish, you literally attempted to nosedive off the sofa into Louis and Hugo when they were playing Ultimate Mecha Strike 3, not to mention that you interrupted Hugo in the ultimate combo that may have actually had Hugo beat Louis for once. If Hugo can't even beat his older brother, how does he expect to beat me?" Marinette deadpanned as Adrien and Louis couldn't help but laugh hysterically as Emma remembered that day where she was dancing really quickly around the room and decided to jump off the sofa like a swan, forgetting that there's still people sitting on the sofa.

"Ok ok... I'll have the mini sliders," Louis said trying to control his laughter as Adrien put a hand on Louis' shoulder for support to control his own laughter. Marinette looked at the two of them together and smiled wistfully. She was enjoying the picture she was seeing: her son laughing with his dad, smiling and having the father-son bond that she always imagined. Louis' hand was on Adrien's knee and Adrien's arm was now around Louis' shoulders and they seemed to have a great old time laughing together.

"Alright, Emma seriously, what are you going to have?" Marinette asked as Emma scanned her emerald eyes over the page again as she finally came up with a choice with a wide smile on her face.

"Sirloin steak! Small size, don't skimp on the fries!" Emma exclaimed as Adrien looked at her in surprise. Who knew that an 8 year-old girl had such expensive taste, jeez. As the waiter jotted it down, Marinette caught her eye and mouthed 'please skimp on the fries,' the waiter immediately smiled and nodded. Hugo was still eyeing the menu indifferently as he finally found something.

"Hmmm... I'll take the salmon with the herb aioli over the bed of rice, for the aioli, can you please make it gluten free? I'm allergic to eggs," Hugo says without even looking at the waiter, and with frightening precision, as soon as the waiter jotted it down, he looked up to gaze at her, "You did get it right? I'm sorry if I said that a bit fast."

"Oh no it's fine, I'll tell the chef to be real careful."

"Thank you, because I am going to ask you when you come back."

"Ok?"

"Hugo, I think you're being a bit too interrogative, tone it down a little," Marinette said sweetly to Hugo as Hugo quickly made a face of shame and apologized. The waiter looks at Hugo sweetly as if it was no trouble.

"Oh, I'm sorry if I was pressing you too hard, but it's just the aioli that I'm concerned about."

"Don't worry, I'll make sure eggs aren't part of it, will that be all?" The waiter asked as Adrien and Marinette replied simultaneously to both their shock.

"Yes, that'll be all, thank you," Marinette and Adrien said together as they looked at each other in surprise and laughed a few moments later. You could see the blush on their face as the sync that they had over the past 15 years hasn't disappeared. The waiter nodded and went off as the table brought the conversation amongst themselves again and had pretty good time. The food then came and Hugo did ask about the aioli, Marinette had to taste the sauce before it was safe to eat. Marinette would rather die before letting one of her children suffer an allergic reaction on her watch. Soon, laughter and merry talk ensued around the table as they all had a pretty good lunch together, catching up and Adrien getting to know the kids better. However then came the part of the dinner that is responsible for most relationship fallout and ends most relationships with a single question at the dinner table: Who's paying? Unfortunately, Marinette and Adrien weren't exactly free from this either as they also argued about who was gonna pay the check.

"Face it Mari, I'm paying the check because I picked out the place, I don't want you to pay."

"Adrien! I invited you out! Of course I have to pay, isn't there a rule for that?!"

"Yes there is, but as a gentleman, I will pay for you guys-"

"Face it Adrien! Chivalry's dead! I want to be able to pay on equal ground with you! I might have found it sweet 15 years ago" Marinette said as a look of surprise flashed across Adrien's face as his face hardened slightly but still had that gentleness that she's always known about him.

"It's not about chivalry Mari! It's the least I could do for a trusted, irreplaceable friend who went missing for 15 years, who is now back in my life!... it's the least I could do," Adrien yelled softly but his last words turned into a harsh whisper. It was Marinette's turn to be shocked, it never really dawned on her how much her disappearance might have affected the people she loved, it has been 15 years, "I-I-I'm sorry Mari, I didn't mean to shout at you."

"No... you barely shouted at all actually... but I'm sorry if me disappearing for 15 years hurt you, trust me when I say that I really want for our lives to go back to normal again, for you and the others to be back in my life again. That's why I think I should be the one to pay because I invited you out for lunch for the first time in 15 years," Marinette sighed as she felt her eyes water a little as she noticed Adrien staring deep into her eyes, as if he was searching for something, as if he was testing Marinette.

"It's ok... really Marinette... but you didn't know... the pain and hurt you caused when you disappeared, you underestimated the gravity and magnitude of the sadness we felt, the sadness I had felt... Now that you're back and you're alive and safe, this really is the least I can do to welcome you back. I never did get to say it when I first saw you... Welcome home," Adrien said earnestly and honestly as he continued to hold Marinette's gaze as they stayed like that for a while, studying each other and smiling at each other. Eventually for the kids, it kinda got a little creepy when they found it really sweet for the first 10 minutes. Finally Adrien spoke up again, "So I am paying for this lunch."

"No way! I am paying for this lunch, with or without you because I invited you out!"

"No you aren't! I am gonna keep this bill out of your hands until you give up," Adrien smirked at her as he raised the bill over his head and Marinette pouted.

"No fair! You know I'm shorter than you!" Marinette half yelled half laughed as she attempted to reach for the bill but to no avail.

"It's not my fault I'm taller than you, you ready to give up?" Adrien smirked at her before Marinette pouted again and proceeded to slide out of her chair and into Adrien's so she could reach a little farther. She knew she couldn't stand because that would make it even more of a scene than it is already, but you gotta pick your battles. Adrien found Marinette's pout to still be incredibly adorable even after all these years, he would legitimately forget that he had a fiancee.

"No! Of course not! Give it here!"

"Nope!"

"Adrien!" Marinette laughed as Adrien scoffed and still held it out of her reach, it was really funny yet still really annoying. Marinette was still just within arm's reach but she still couldn't get it, Adrien was too tall and she was completely on his chair now. However, before they could continue any further, they heard a shout that was loud enough to garner some attention, but not all of it.

"GUYS!"

Marinette and Adrien turned their heads to find Louis, Hugo, and Emma smirking at the pair and now would be the perfect time to notice how close Marinette's face was from Adrien's. The proximity was dangerously close, it must have been 3 inches or so. Marinette and Adrien both took note of this intimacy but they made no moves to move since they were frozen. It was even more amusing for Louis since he knows that Adrien is his dad and seeing him interact with her like this made him giddy inside.

"As much as we find your argument-" Hugo started but Emma continued for him while squealing.

"COMPLETELY ADORABLE!" Emma squealed as the pair in question blushed.

"Might I make a suggestion? Why don't you, I don't know, split the check? You want to pay but Mr. Agreste doesn't want you to pay but both of you want to make a gesture for each other, why not split the check?" Louis explained as he clapped his prayer hands together and brought them down together as if to make a point. Marinette and Adrien looked back at each other and noticed how close they were and they immediately returned to their original positions.

"That's... actually a good idea... what do you think Adrien?"

"As long as you're not paying for the full thing, I'm happy so of course it's a good idea. Way to go Louis," Adrien smiled at Louis who beamed back at him in pride and Marinette swore she saw that father-son spark in their gazes. For Louis, it seemed surreal, he never had a father before and when he saw Adrien beam at him, knowing that Adrien was exactly the person Louis imagined he would be, he couldn't help but feel even more special. Adrien didn't know why that when he was looking at Louis, there was new unknown pride flowing within him. He felt that with all of Marinette's children but even if he didn't know why, he liked it. (Guys I know it's pretty obvious why he was this sort of fatherly behavior when it comes to them since he is their father, but the guy's blind and clueless so give him a break. I mean, the man himself doesn't even know so... just bear with the cluelessness, it should be pretty much standard for Adrien by now), "Got the change for the split?"

"Of course I do, why wouldn't I?"

"Alright..." As the two split the check and paid, right before they got up, they asked another question that could have made the three face palm.

"Wait, Adrien, what are we going to do about the tip?"

"Oh... that..."

"Already got it covered, you two owe 3 euros each so you split the tip," Hugo stated as a matter of factly as Adrien and Marinette chuckled nervously. Louis and Emma shot them a 'you got told' look on the way out and the two couldn't help but chuckle. As the family made their way outside, Marinette checked the time and felt Adrien look over her shoulder.

"Do you want me to take you back to the Patisserie?" Adrien asked as Marinette looked over her shoulder with a kind smile on her face.

"Yeah, plus the kids really want to be able to see their grandparents this month so they can spend time with Tom and Sabine with the time they have left," Marinette explained but as soon as the words left her mouth, she realized that she could have phrased her words a little better because now she felt like she said too much. Adrien would definitely catch on... and he did.

"Wait... why do you say that as if they can't see their grandparents all the time, as if they have a forced restriction? You don't live that far from them, they should be able to visit on a regular basis?" Adrien asked as Marinette cursed her poor word choice when she said that. She meant what she meant: there is a restriction to how often her kids can visit and that's because of that stupid contract of Gabriel's, not that she'll ever tell him that. She could have just phrased it better.

"Uhhh.. they do see Tom and Sabine on a regular basis! I don't know what you're talking about," Marinette faked a laugh at the last part but she knew Adrien saw right through, she could literally feel the gemstone eyes boring into her.

"You always were the worst liar," Adrien smirked but still had that serious expression on his face as Marinette waved him off and gestured him to the car.

"Perhaps, but who knows? Come on Adrien, let's go!" Marinette cheerfully gestured the to the car, Adrien complied for now but he was definitely going to question her again in the future. About 13 minutes later, Hugo was about this close to dying a second time.

"HUGO ARE YOU OK?!" Tom and Sabine asked as they crushed Hugo into a life sucking hug as he winced from the pain. Louis and Emma tried their best not to laugh at their brother get subjected to the familial love.

"Yeah I'm fine Grandpere and Granny! But if you squeeze me any harder, you might eliminate the air I have left in my body," Hugo groaned as the grandparents finally let go frantically and started checking for any injuries around his chest or neck, or any place related to breathing. After they were done, they sighed a breath of relief and cheerfully greeted the other kids.

"Adrien! Thank you for taking Marinette, she gets clumsy when she's overwhelmed with emotion, she wouldn't focus in her condition, but BOY am I glad you took her! She may be an adult but you can still recognize Mari from a mile away," Tom bellowed happily as he gave Adrien a hearty slap on the back while Adrien and Marinette winked at each other in thanks, although Marinette looked a little more annoyed that Tom would still bring up her lingering personality that she personally didn't mind having around.

"I'm glad I can spot her from a mile away," Adrien replied wistfully as Marinette blushed slightly and suddenly remembered something. Marinette fished a note out of her purse as Adrien felt a rumble from his phone. When he checked it, his eyes lit up and he immediately grabbed Marinette's shoulders, who gaped slightly in surprise.

"Great news Marinette! My father gave the green light for the fashion project that you and Audrey have worked on in collaboration with the Gabriel Brand or technically Agreste Brand. Since I'm gonna be one of the main coordinators presiding over the project, you'll see me a lot more often," Adrien explained as Marinette felt herself sigh in relief, she was glad that Adrien was also overseeing the project as well. Someone she could trust... finally. Adrien saw a flash of disdain cross her vision when he mentioned his father but he paid it no mind.

"Great! I'm one of the main people working on it as it's a collaboration with most of my works so I'll be doing most of the work, not Audrey. I guess we're partners and thank goodness because it's finally someone other than Audrey I can trust," Marinette said happily as Adrien registered what she just said and smiled wide.

"So? Glad to meet you, I'll be your partner," Adrien held out his hand and Marinette readily took it as they had one of those moments where you could stare forever into each other's eyes, they apparently do that A LOT. After a while, Adrien had to leave because modeling duty calls and just when he stepped outside the door, he heard a shout and he turned around to see Louis grinning at him, "Oh! Hey Louis! Something wrong?"

"No... it's nothing... just... I heard a lot of stories about you from my mom and I never got to say this until now but..."

"Uh huh?"

"You're every bit of the cool and wonderful man my mom said you'd be... so... thank you, for giving me the chance to get to know you!" Louis flashed his trademark smile that looked really similar to Adrien's own and Adrien couldn't but smile widely at Louis' words. Adrien reached his hand over to ruffle Louis' hair before continuing to smile with him. They shared the same smile that could make anyone swoon. However, it wasn't about that, but what Louis said really touched his heart that Marinette would go through the effort to tell her kids about him, and in such a positive way that made his heart soar. Thank you Marinette truly... and I'll make sure I'm every bit of the man you say I am because you trust me enough to let your kids view me in the same light as you did 15 years ago and even now. I won't let you down... not again.


	7. Chapter6:AllIttakesisanAccusation

Hey guys, this chapter is going to be just a little short than usual, short by about 5,000 words but I'm working on making the chapters just a wee bit shorter. Although not as short as this but I hope you guys enjoy the chapter anyway since... well... what happens in this chapter doesn't exactly go well. I don't know when will be the next update but watch for Chapter 8 since I have an idea for what it could be. Chapter 7... is... kinda blank right now. I like writing long chapters so again I apologize if this is a bit short. Enjoy!

Chapter 6: All It Takes Is An Accusation

"Oh my god... I'm so nervous..." Marinette sighed as she paced back and forth in the apartment, she could hear Louis playing a soft ballad on the piano in the background, and it calmed her somewhat. She was supposed to meet with Adrien today- AT HIS HOUSE! Marinette swore that she would never step in that ironic abomination of an immaculate house that probably had every dirty business exchange Gabriel has done in existence. She knows he confines his dirty work to inside his office but everything else is ok. It wasn't the house she had an issue with, it's the one specific room that had the bane of her existence in it.

"Don't be so nervous Mom, you've done projects like these before, even though this might be a little hard for you considering who you're potentially working with. You'll probably only meet with Mr. Agreste instead of Gabriel," Louis said as he continued to practice on the piano. Marinette sighed as she knew Louis was right, she had to counsel him on not calling Adrien 'Dad' since... well... he can but just not around Hugo and Emma, she didn't want them to have the wrong idea.

"I guess you're right... wait, don't you have school?" Marinette asked as she glanced at her watch and realized she forgot to make Hugo and Emma's lunch in her worry about the new project, "Crap! I forgot to make the kids breakfast!" Marinette exclaimed as she immediately ran to the kitchen to open the fridge to warm up some leftovers. She heard a screeching of a piano bench moving back as Louis went to the twins' room to call them out.

"Hugo! Emma! You're gonna be late!" Louis called out but he heard a call from his right to find Hugo standing outside the bathroom, "Hugo... what are you?"

"It's Emma... she's spending forever in there! Emma can you please hurry up! I need to go! And get ready!" Hugo called out desperately to the door and Louis and Hugo could hear an immediate reply.

"Sorry bout that Hugo!" Emma called as she opened the door and quickly let the boy in as Hugo quickly shut the door behind him and Emma bounced into the kitchen and caught the lunch bag as Marinette slid it over to her.

"Sorry for making it so late, you guys have about 25 minutes to get to school, Louis, you have 15. You know what? I'll drive you guys! That way you can get there fast," Marinette quickly said as the trio heard Hugo come out of the restroom and slipped on his usual hoodie that was modeled after some superhero in a TV show called 'Miraculous Ladybug' or something. Marinette was sure Hugo mentioned that it was modeled after 'Chat Noir,' his favorite superhero in the show. Marinette did think it was cute; the inside of the hood was bright green and there was cat ears on the outside of the hood. Marinette got her keys and her purse and quickly got the kids out. 12 minutes later, she was dropping Louis off leaving Louis 3 spare minutes to run to his first class. 5 minutes after that, she personally went out with Hugo and Emma to drop them off. Parents were allowed to come with the kids to a certain point before they had to let them go with the other kids onto the blacktop and into their respective lines to go into class. Thank goodness Hugo and Emma had the same class though, Marinette knew how antisocial Hugo was and if he was all alone... she couldn't bear that for him. Marinette sighed as she went back to her and drove back home, she had to get ready for the beginning of the project today. As she parked back in front of the apartment/condo complex building, she noticed a familiar black sports car parked in front of it. When she got out, she suspiciously stepped closer to the car and realized that the car was Adrien's, she knew she gave the paper with her address and house calling number, but she didn't think he would visit this soon. As she looked around, she heard a call for her name and she whipped around to find Alya and Nino shouting at her.

"Mari! OVER HERE!" Alya called as Marinette immediately dashed over to her and gave her a big hug. She then immediately turned to Nino and gave him an equally big hug.

"Alya! Nino! What are you doing here?" Marinette asked as Alya gave her a smirk.

"Adrien was busy but he said for us to pick you up!" Alya said as she spun around Adrien's car keys like it was hers to brag about. Marinette narrowed her eyes at the keys and sighed.

"I guess it's to be expected, he can't be free all the time, but why didn't he send one of his butlers or Gorilla?" Marinette wondered aloud as Alya looked at her in mock offense.

"Wha? You don't want your best friend? To drive you? I am. INSULTED. Disgusted!" Alya excessively said in a mocking tone adding a pause between every phrase to make it more dramatic. Marinette automatically knew she was kidding and apologized.

"Alya, I didn't mean it like that, I know Adrien usually sends one of the butlers on Gorilla on these sort of errands," Marinette explained but Alya corrected her with a 'tut tut tut.'

"You're talking about Gabriel who does that," Alya corrected as the words stung on Marinette's ears, Alya could see Marinette physically wince at the name, which worried her, but she didn't say anything, "It's Adrien, of course he would send us to pick you up, in his Mercedes." Alya said dreamily as Marinette rolled her eyes.

"You ok there Alya? I can see you drooling," Marinette teased as she heard Nino stifle a laugh as Alya huffed jokingly.

"Just get in the car."

"Alright, alright." The trio got into Adrien's car and Nino drove off to the Agreste mansion, with Marinette praying she can keep her wits about her. It's been a while since she's last been to that place, the last time she was there, that was the day she signed the contract to erase herself from the existence of her friends and family. 15 years ago... of course Marinette had still kept in contact with Gabriel even though she really wished she could never see him again. It was nerve-wracking, soul-crushing to even think about returning there. Before she knew it, they had arrived at the mansion. Marinette felt herself grip her purse until they were a unsettling white mixed with red from the blood, which didn't go unnoticed by Alya and Nino. They pretty much deduced by now that Marinette doesn't have many good memories of this place. The trio walked up to the front gate where the security checkpoint was. Marinette secretly hoped Gabriel's voice wouldn't be on the intercom but she wouldn't get her hopes up. When they stopped in front of the gate and a camera and a speaker came out of the wall to greet them.

"Who is it? State your business," Marinette heard that icy cold voice that was all too familiar. She stared right into the camera because she knew Gabriel was watching.

"Marinette, and you know exactly the reason why I'm here, open up," Marinette said almost monotonously but with a hint of... resentment? Anger? Indifference? Maybe a mix of the three?

"Ah Ms. Dupain Cheng, Adrien's been expecting you, you know exactly what's at stake with this fashion project, proceed," Gabriel responded coldly as the door opened and Marinette walked briskly in with Nino and Alya following close behind her. To the couple, they assumed Gabriel was just talking about the economics and financial consequences that came with the ambitious project. However, for Marinette, she knew exactly what he was talking about: the kids. As the trio approached the double doors, the doors opened automatically to see two maids welcoming the trio into the mansion.

"Thank you ladies," Marinette thanked the maids as the trio stepped inside and took in the white, pristine house with gold accents. The walls and the marble floor are unruffled nothing was touched and there was practically angel choirs coming from the holy whiteness of the house, which Marinette did not believe in the slightest. The trio were then approached by Nathalie, who came out of Gabriel's office at the top of the stairs.

"Ah Marinette, you're here, Adrien is waiting for you in the study room," Nathalie eyed her worryingly as Marinette gave Nathalie a curt nod and a small smile, it was the least she could do. Marinette turned around to Nino and Alya who smiled at her.

"What are you guys gonna do?" Marinette asked.

"We're going to be hanging out around here, when you're done for the day, we can all head out of lunch," Alya explained as Marinette nodded in agreement.

"Sounds good, I'll see you then!" Marinette exclaimed happily as she hugged Alya again before proceeding up the stairs to the study room with Nathalie. It was long hall as Nathalie led Marinette to the door at the end of the hall, Nathalie then opened it and announced their arrival.

"Adrien, Marinette has arrived," Nathalie said as Adrien turned around and brightened at the sight of Marinette. The study room was quite large, there was a large amount of stand up boards with fashion designs pinned onto them. It was a pristine white room like the rest of the mansion and there was a window the length of the room that allowed the sunshine to come in although it wasn't cover the entire width. There were desks with sewing machines on the other side of the room and there were chairs strewn about for working. There was a plentiful bounty of fashion supplies for Marinette to work with and this would have been heaven with Adrien if it wasn't for the fact that this was Gabriel's house. In the middle of the room, there a elevated plateau and Marinette assumed that was for testing the clothes and designs on models.

"Marinette, I'm so glad you could make it, I assume you had a good time with your special chauffeurs," Adrien smirked at her as Marinette crossed her arms as she decided to tease right back.

"I don't necessarily think you calling Alya and Nino chauffeurs is right when you had our friends pick me up," Marinette smiled as Adrien continued to smile brightly at her. (They're doing a lot of smiling huh?)

"You gotta give me some credit, at least it wasn't Gorilla," Adrien shot her a knowing look as Marinette laughed lightly.

"That, I thank you for," Marinette giggled as she walked over to one of the desks and looked at them, these must be her and Audrey's designs that were sent over. Good. Everything's here then, "Alright, should we get to work?" Marinette inquired hopefully as Adrien nodded in agreement and they both turned to the door to silently ask Nathalie to leave. Nathalie stood there, eyeing both of them nervously as Marinette shot Nathalie a quizzical look as she had an idea of why Nathalie wouldn't leave.

"Ummm... Nathalie... do you mind leaving Marinette and I to work?" Adrien asked as Nathalie shot them one last look and bowed out and closed the door.

"Where should we start first?" Marinette asked as the two of them sat in front of the desk together to look at the designs as Adrien took Gabriel's designs from a list that he procured and spread them out side by side with Marinette and Audrey's.

"I guess we should start by making comparisons, how you think we can incorporate both their designs into one fashion line," Adrien asked as Marinette made a contemplating face, considering the clean elegance of Audrey and her's designs versus the high class vibe of Gabriel's designs.

"Hmmm... I personally think that Gabriel's designs are a bit over the top and need to be toned done a little. More doesn't always mean better, no offense," Marinette picked up a design of Gabriel's and looked closely at the additions Gabriel made to the core dress. Some of them are perfection enough but then it becomes too stuffy. Marinette tried to say it with as little venom as possible.

"None taken, I find your input refreshing, I haven't met anyone who has complained about my father's work, it's always those diehard fans who refuse to see that there's anything wrong with his designs since he's so respected," Adrien commented as Marinette picked up another design and examined it.

"I have to agree... Hmmm... but how do we go about this?" Marinette huffed in frustration as she got several fabrics together to see which would match with the outfit, "There's so... many colors to choose from, but which one would ACTUALLY work?" Adrien frowned at Marinette's continued frustration as they continued to work into the afternoon. They managed to make some progress but the time they were done, they managed to agree on the colors that were gonna be used for the line. All in all, both of them ended up extremely happy with the progress they made, it wasn't a lot but it was something for the first day.

"Oh my goodness... we're finally done..." Adrien leaned back in the chair with his hands behind his hand as Marinette finally set down the assorted colors for the outfits and leaned back with him with a large sigh.

"What time is it?" Marinette asked as Adrien looked quickly at his watch.

"It's... 2:15-"

"Oh! The kids should be getting out by now, I should probably go home, we made a lot of progresss today Adrien, hopefully tomorrow will be as productive as today," Marinette sighed happily as she gather her things. Adrien the moved to help her pack the rest of her things and handed her purse to her. Marinette graciously took it and smiled at him, "Thank you."

"Umm... no problem," Adrien, a little spaced out, gave her a small smile and followed her on the way out. As they made their way back to the main hall, they found Alya and Nino already waiting for them.

"Hey guys," Adrien and Marinette said simultaneously as they looked at each other for a second before looking back at the pair, who shot them questioning looks.

"Uh huh... ok? Well, should we get going to Marinette's place? I can bring my son Gavin to meet my best friend," Alya asked as Marinette snapped her head at Alya with a surprised look. As much as Marinette wanted to have them all over and meet Alya's son for the first time, something about this situation seemed off.

"Wait... all of you are coming to my house?" Marinette nervously as the three quickly caught on to her tone. Adrien looked at her with a concerned expression as he wondered why was she so nervous about them coming to her house if she gave them her address.

"Oh dudette, is there a problem with that? We don't mean to make you uncomfortable," Nino reassured Marinette as she contemplated having all three of her friends over at her house at once. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Gabriel outside the door of the office shooting a piercing look. Marinette didn't cower under his gaze but her gaze hardened back at him. The three saw her physically tense and followed her gaze to Gabriel. Adrien looked between Marinette and Gabriel and almost shrank back in fear by the icy aura between them. It was full of ice, venom, and malice that would make anyone throw up.

"You know what? I would LOVE for you guys to come to my place, there's no harm in having good old friends over," Marinette slowly said as her gaze never left Gabriel's, who let out a 'hmph' and walked back into his office.

"Marinette... is there something between you and Gabriel?" Adrien asked and it was as if Marinette had a mood switch as she completely switched back to her happy self.

"What? What are you talking about? We just looked at each other, THAT'S IT. Could you read the air? It was a completely... professional stare.." Marinette dismissed it nervously as the three shot her a look of uncertainty as they all went out together.

"That was not a professional stare, that looked like the stare of ice that sunk the Titanic," Alya murmured to Adrien as they went out to the car and headed to Marinette's complex/apartment. When they got there, Marinette's children were beyond elated to have all of them come into the apartment. On the way home from school, Adrien picked up Gavin from school and Marinette seemed to like him enough. He went to Louis' school so maybe Louis knows him. When Marinette put her key into the lock as the others made it to the door, the door immediately swung open to reveal a smiling Louis to greet them.

"Hey Mom, hey guys! Come in!" Louis said as he gestured for Marinette and the others to come in but he set his eyes on Gavin and his eyes widened, "Gavin?! You're my mom's best friend's son?!" Louis asked incredulously as Gavin smiled wide and pointed at him.

"Oh! Louis! So YOU'RE the son of my mom's best friend that she keeps raving about! Dude! What a coincidence!" Gavin exclaimed as the two boys immediately did their secret handshake and winked at each other. Marinette and Alya coughed nervously as their eyes flitted between the two boys.

"So? You guys know each other?" Marinette asked hopefully as Hugo and Emma came up and hugged Marinette, who reciprocated their hug. Afterwards, the two went to greet Adrien and Nino. Gavin swung his arm around Louis and grinned. Gavin looked very similar to Nino but with curly hair and his face was more like Alya's. However like he shared his parents' trait of having glasses. His skin was a fair brown just like his parents' and he had the brown eyes to match.

"This is gonna sound extremely coincidental since you two are best friends but Louis and I are also best friends!" Gavin exclaimed as Louis chuckled and gave Gavin a slight nudge in the ribs.

"That's nice! It looks like our friendship lasted through a generation, cause look, our sons are best friends just like us. It's truly a moving thing," Alya commented as Marinette smiled widely at her. It was like everything was coming full circle. However, there was always that nagging feeling in the back of Marinette's head that things were going too smoothly. The group made themselves a home as they chatted and hung out just like old times. Just like old times... that's a nostalgic phrase, but yet it has a lot of meaning.

"Wanna play Ultimate Mecha Strike 7?" Gavin asked as Louis immediately shot a sideways glance at Marinette, who noticed and grew annoyed at the question. Truth be told, Louis did want to play Ultimate Mecha Strike 7 since he does have the game but Marinette would never let him play it since she argues the 3rd one is the best.

"Ultimate Mecha Strike 3 is the best game! You don't need to play the new installments to know that!" Marinette called out to the boys, who sighed nervously. The evening actually went pretty smoothly, Marinette, Alya, and Nino caught up with a lot of things in their lives with Marinette leaving out the obvious. Alya was elated for the chance to get to know Marinette's kids and she gladly took it. Louis, Gavin, Hugo, and Emma played on a multiplayer mode for Ultimate Mecha Strike 3 with Louis and Emma on one team, Gavin and Hugo on the other. For the first time, in a long time, the Dupain Cheng family felt happier than they've been in a long time.

"Emma, I need you to use your special!"

"Got it! I'm actually helping you for once in this game!"

"Ok Hugo, I'm gonna need you to use your Falchion cutter and I'll follow up with a side special attack."

"Yeah yeah, I know, let's do this!"

Soon, Alya, Nino, and Gavin went home with Alya assuring Marinette that they have their car parked just right around the corner so Marinette wouldn't have to give them a ride home. Leaving just Marinette, Adrien, and the kids. Hugo and Emma went into the restroom to brush their teeth and get ready for bed while Louis was sitting in the kitchen, sipping a lemonade iced tea. So essentially, Marinette and Adrien were alone with Louis listening in on their conversation. Little did Marinette know that the decision that she makes at this point would be her biggest regret.

"Adrien, thank you, truly for staying, you didn't have to you know," Marinette smiled softly at the wall past Adrien's shoulder with a content and happy atmosphere as Adrien looked at her closely with the same soft smile.

"I don't mind really, your place is really capacious, but it's cozy enough to have that warm, familial feeling. I think it's really nice," Adrien commented as Marinette sighed and did a once over around her flat/apartment with a smile.

"Yeah... I suppose so... Adrien, I need to tell you something, you know how when you were hanging out with the kids the other day and other people found it odd that you seem so close and familiar with them even though you're seemingly not related to them?" Marinette asked carefully as Adrien furrowed his eyes in thought. It did bother him for a while as those incidents made him really confused but he felt his head throb when he thought about it. It was a dull headache but it still made him agitated nonetheless. Marinette had made up her mind a while ago about telling him, even though it may compromise her safety well as the kids' safety because of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, he has the right to know.

"Well... I do admit that it did bother me for a while, but what does that have to do with what you're telling me now?" Adrien asked slowly as Louis gripped his cup tightly as he heard her words. He knew exactly what his mom was trying to do. However, he didn't know why he didn't feel good about what his mom was going to do, he should be overjoyed about that fact... but he isn't, for some reason.

"Ummm... this is a little... hard for me to say... but, you are related to them... since you're their father. And before you freak out! Let me explain!" Marinette quickly added as Adrien slowly processed what she just said and his entire body felt like a flood of ice just filled all of his veins and before Marinette could explain, he cut her off.

"Seriously Marinette? You honestly expect me to believe that bullshit?" Adrien asked quietly as Marinette immediately shrunk back with a look of fear plastered on her face.

"Wha-?"

"TWO OF YOUR KIDS ARE EIGHT MARINETTE! I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU IN 15 YEARS SO DO YOU HONESTLY EXPECT ME TO BELIEVE THE SHIT THAT'S COMING OUT OF YOUR MOUTH? I HAVE NOT SEEN YOU IN 15 YEARS, HOW DO YOU EXPECT ME TO EVEN KNOW WHO YOU ARE ANYMORE?" Adrien yelled at Marinette, immediately rising to his feet as he looked at her with a cold glare. Marinette suspected he would act this way, who says that sort of thing after 15 years? Marinette you're such an idiot.

"Adrien please! Let me explain!"

"Hmph... and to think... the Marinette that I knew turned into a gold digger, figures. You know that I'm engaged and then you "suddenly" spring this onto me, expecting me to leave Kagami?" Adrien spat out like venom as Marinette gaped in shock and then she stood up indignantly. By this time, Hugo and Emma came out of the restroom and were looking at the scene in confusion and horror.

"A gold digger? Adrien, you have no right to say that! What makes you think that's the reason?! BESIDES, IT WAS JUST A JOKE!" Marinette yelled at Adrien, who softened at her last words but before she could continue, the pair heard a glass break and they both turned to look at Louis, who was gripping his glass so hard that he shattered it, pieces of glass lodged in his hand with small amounts of blood staining the now broken cup, "Louis..."

"That's not funny Marinette," Adrien looked between Marinette and Louis. Marinette was glad she just made it like a joke, she didn't want to lose him but maybe this wasn't the best time to tell him anyway. Although, Louis thought differently.

"Get out..." Louis whispered quietly with such a malice of death that Adrien couldn't hear it the first time.

"What?"

"I SAID GET OUT!" Louis stood up angrily, clenching his fists even tighter as Marinette noticed the glass pieces sinking even more into his hand.

"Louis! Your hand!" Marinette let out a gasp as Louis could hardly even care less.

"Do you think I am just going to sit here and let you call my mom a gold digger? You can bet your sorry ass that I'm not," Louis said through gritted teeth as Emma leaned over to Hugo to whisper loudly in his ear, with everyone else hearing.

"Hugo... what's a gold digger?"

"It's basically a person who fakes liking someone else or only likes someone for their money and basically leeches off that other person. It's a heinous insult," Hugo explained coldly as his bluebell eyes never left Adrien. Emma gasped, covered her mouth with her hands and looked at Adrien.

"That's not nice Mr. Agreste! Our mom has suffered more than you know! You don't have any right to call her a gold digger!" Emma retorted angrily as all three kids looked at Adrien with hatred and at this point, Adrien regrets even reacting so badly.

"Kids... it was just a joke... I was just making a joke out of what the server and Nurse Joy said the other day about Adrien's resemblance, no harm, no foul," Marinette sighs defeatedly as Louis looked at her with a piercing and knowing look. He knows she's lying since everything she was saying was true but for the sake of her cover, he'll play along.

"I don't care whether it was a joke or not! You called our mom a gold digger and that is an insult to who she is. Also! What do you mean that she's an old friend and that she's turned into something you can't even recognize huh?" Louis asked angrily as Hugo added on for Louis, adding even more to the guilt.

"She is your friend, right here and right now, and you just hurt her. Mommy has done so much for us for the past 8-15 years-" Hugo continued but was cut off by Emma who also wanted to say her piece.

"We won't stand here and let you insult our Mommy and her pride as a woman. She was all alone for 15 years, raising Big Brother and the both of us and this is what she gets after coming back to her friend? Louis is right! GET OUT!" Emma yelled as Marinette looked at all of them with a newfound pride and respect for her kids, standing up for her, she couldn't have been any prouder of her kids.

"Adrien... I think you should leave..." Marinette said quietly as she walked over to her kids and placed herself behind them, all of them looking at a dejected Adrien with hatred. Without saying anything, Adrien silently picked up his things and started towards the door. He took one last regretful look at all of them and as he set his hand on the doorknob, Louis added something else.

"I take back what I said before, you weren't everything my mom said you'd be, and I was stupid for thinking that you would be," Louis said quietly as he saw a flash of pain and hurt cross Adrien's face as Adrien went out the door into the night. He took one last look and said before he closed the door:

"I'm sorry..."

When the door shut, everyone in the room collapsed to the floor with a large sigh. Marinette, Hugo, and Emma immediately checked Louis' hand and winced at the amount of glass shards embedded in his hand.

"I'll go get the disinfectant wipes," Hugo said calmly when in truth, he was really scared for Louis. Hugo came back with several wipes as Marinette and Emma carefully picked out the glass shards with Louis wincing at every movement as the two wiped his hand carefully. Hugo then carefully wiped the glass and sighed as he sat down next to Louis again and leaned into his side.

"Louis... you always go overboard when you're acting all protective... I wish you wouldn't hurt yourself like this," Emma whined as Marinette chuckled grimly and finished taking the rest of them out with tiny tweezers.

"That's just Louis for you... he loves this family just as much as we do... thank you Louis, how lucky am I to have you as my son?" Marinette asked contently as Louis gave her a big grin to which Hugo and Emma laughed.

"No... I'm the lucky one," Louis replied, ruffling Hugo's hair as Emma pounced into his lap and let out a bubbly laugh as Marinette chuckled and wrapped Louis' hand with a bandaid wrap. For now, this family is perfect because they have each other and that's enough for the time being.

"Although... we could hear from the restroom... so Mr. Agreste is our dad? I know you wouldn't joke about that sort of stuff Mommy," Hugo commented as Emma and Louis looked sadly at him and his comment as it was true, "although, I completely get why he would react so badly-"

"But that doesn't give him the right to call Mommy that, that was uncalled for! But it's true isn't it... Mr. Agreste is our dad," Emma interjected with Hugo and Louis nodding their head in agreement.

"Yes... that's true... but now that you guys know, you have to keep it a secret for now... but I hope you won't judge him too harshly..." Marinette droned on as Louis reassured her.

"We know... he's a great guy... but that doesn't mean that we can't be mad at him. Now I feel bad about what I said before he left," Louis chuckled nervously as Marinette laughed nervously along with him.

"It's ok... because you'll apologize for that next time you see him, but you weren't completely in the wrong when you said that so it's justified," Marinette explained as all of them sighed contently. Today was an... interesting day and the reveal didn't go as well as Marinette hoped but for now, Adrien not knowing is going to be really frustrating but they have no choice but to keep it under wraps.Maybe him knowing is for the best since Louis and Marinette know what's coming. And what's coming isn't good at all.


	8. Chapter7:StartingOver

Hey guys! What's up? This is going to be a shorter chapter that leads into a chapter directly relating to this chapter, but read until the end to figure out what it is. Enjoy the chapter and I should have that chapter in question out very soon! Ok... maybe not soon, but soon enough!

Chapter 7: Starting Over

"Mr. Agreste..."

"No please, call me Adrien," Adrien quipped as Louis and the twins sat with Adrien at the bakery, a couple of days after the incident. In that time, Adrien was so distraught and depressed from what he said and what transpired that he couldn't bear to face the shame. Kagami, on another note, was away on a fencing exhibition in God knows where. Marinette had set up this meeting at the bakery for the kids-specifically Louis- to apologize for what he said from before.

"Alright... Adrien, I'm truly sorry about what I said about you not being everything my mom said you'd be, I was out of line... but truly, when I told you that the other day when you took us out to lunch, I did mean it. I was just... extremely mad by what you said that I retracted it and dismissed it. I know that broke your honor or pride sir..." Louis said truthfully as the twins nodded in agreement with what he said. Adrien had a fixed sad smile on his face as he processed what he said.

"No... you had every right to be mad, but thank you, for the apology. But god damn it... I called her... a gold digger, how could I?" Adrien gritted his teeth as Hugo and Emma just made things worse with their commentary.

"Gotta admit, that was a low blow," Hugo chimed in as Louis shot him a look.

"Not really the brightest thing you've said Mr. Agreste... but if Mommy can make an exception...then I'll try to forgive you, key word is "try"," Emma commented as Adrien had a nervous but apologetic look on his face. The group then heard the bell to the bakery chimed and a very tired looking Marinette came in with several bags. Marinette immediately brightened and turned towards the group and looked at all of them and interrogated them with her eyes alone.

"Louis, did you apologize?"

"Yes Mom, I did, again... SO sorry," Louis added on quickly as Adrien gave him a smile and nodded quickly in understanding. The kids thought it was strange that Adrien didn't apologize to Marinette first since Marinette held the meeting two days after the incident. It was already late afternoon so all the kids were free. However, what they didn't know was that Adrien and Marinette already had a private conversation before hand.

Earlier...

"Marinette I just want to start off by saying how sorry I am, I truly had no right to call you what I said when now I know what you said was a joke. I feel horrible, we just became friends again and now this," Adrien murmured as Marinette looked at him with remorseful eyes. She noted that his personality has also changed, even though she can recognize that charisma and charm of his anywhere, he's become more... irrational, regretful, less composed. Marinette wondered why that was...

"Thank you Adrien, I appreciate the apology, but it was a really bad joke, I'm sorry I even pulled that on you," Marinette chuckled nervously as she continued sipping her tea, "It was my fault, I..." Marinette started to say but she felt her mouth close again for the sake of... she doesn't know.

"Thank you, but... can we still go back to normal after this? What I said was so insulting... I don't..." Adrien said as continued to keep his gaze upon Marinette, who narrowed her eyes at her tea and felt her shoulders relax.

"Well... I've already forgiven you, we can just let it be water under the bridge don't you say? Besides, you have a lot of explaining to do for the kids because right now, they kinda... dislike you," Marinette murmured quietly as Adrien let out a groan and rested his head into his interlaced fingers which were propped up on the table.

"I know... I want to be able to make it up to them..." Adrien huffed frustratingly as he continued to stare into the table and after a moment of silence, he spoke again, "you know Marinette, you have amazing kids... they're willing to stand up for you and they have your back as much as you have theirs. It's quite something to watch. I've seen their bond over the few times I've met them... they're great kids."

"They are... it means so much to me to hear you say that... they helped me through so much," Marinette replied wistfully as she stared aimlessly into the liquid that was her drink, following the shine of the light reflected on it, "It's fine."

Presently

"So why don't we start over," Louis decided as he held out his hand to Adrien, who looked at it, perplexed. Louis flashed his million dollar grin that somehow filled the void in Adrien's heart, where his past mistakes were, "Hello! I'm Louis Dupain Cheng, nice to meet ya!"

Adrien felt his lips tug into a genuine wide grin that was different from his model grin, it was a truly happy grin, "Nice to meet you Louis, I'm Adrien Agreste, a friend of your mother's. I hope we'll always be in each other's good favor and I'll be the man you always thought I'd be." Louis grinned wider as Hugo and Emma joined in and out their hands over Louis and Adrien's.

"I'm Hugo Dupain Cheng, I hope we're always close even if I can be a little difficult to talk to, Mr. Agreste," Hugo mumbled as he suddenly flinched from Emma's outburst of energy.

"Hiya Mr. Agreste! I hope we can start over and be the best of friends!" Emma chirped as Adrien smiled warmly with all of them.

"I would love that," Adrien replied as Marinette let out a sigh of relief and set her things down. Tom and Sabine looked on at the family from behind the counter, eyeing Marinette with a fearful expression as Marinette caught their eye and nodded. Marinette then went behind the counter with them and left Adrien and the kids to talk.

"Sweetie, how did it go? Did he take it badly?" Sabine asked as Marinette looked grimly at Sabine and replied with a curt nod.

"Of course he took it badly, I don't blame him. 15 years... I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have believed me either," Marinette sighed as she started putting desserts into the display window as she saw Emma's smushed face pressed up against the other side of the glass, blowing hot air onto the glass. Marinette smiled sweetly through the glass.

"One day he'll come round, you just gotta trust in him," Tom said as Marinette felt his presence beside her, helping her assort the pastries and desserts into the display window. Marinette tilted her head to the side slightly as if she was contemplating his words with a look of confusion on her face.

"I guess so... but for the time being, I just want him to bond with them," Marinette said as she looked up to find Emma showing Adrien her drawings and Hugo criticizing her drawings with Emma shooting Hugo a annoyed look now and then. Just seeing them together was enough for her. Louis rested his head on his hand and him and Adrien together looked at Emma's drawings, comedically trying to make sense on them. It was like everything was at peace again, even if it was just for a while.

"I guess that looks like...Alice from Wonderland?" Louis asked as he looked closer at what seemed like a person with blond hair and a blue dress. Emma pouted and replied:

"No you dummy, that's you!"

"Me?" Louis asked in exasperation as Adrien let out a laugh, "Then why am I wearing a dress?"

"Oh, that's just how I always draw shirts."

"Then what's with the hair?" Louis asked as he noted the blond hair that looked like it was a bunch of circles and loops drawn together. Emma looked up at Louis' hair and frowned slightly.

"Hmmm.. it is a little hard to draw the curled fringe that's framing your face, but my picture does kinda make you look like a girl," Emma laughed slightly as Louis scoffed and folded his arms.

"Hey, the picture's not enough to capture the handsomeness that is me, but I guess it'll do," Louis winked at Emma, who rolled her eyes and laughed as she sat in Louis' lap and continued to show him and Adrien pictures. Hugo, on the other hand, was staring out the window and Adrien eventually noticed and scootched his chair so he could sit closer to him.

"You okay kiddo?" Adrien asked he leaned down to be face level with Hugo, whose face didn't move an inch. The only acknowledgement he made towards Adrien was just a flicker of the eyes in his direction.

"You tell me, how can I know that I can trust you? Louis and Emma seem to trust you enough," Hugo whispered indifferently as Adrien looked at him in surprise. Adrien then looked out the window with Hugo, he didn't know what to say.

"You know... I really am sorry... for what I said about your mom? You guys are quite protective about your mom, I envy that sort of bond," Adrien murmured as he felt Hugo tense beside him and looked over to see Hugo staring intently at him.

"I know you are sorry... but... even though it doesn't show, Maman is hurting inside. She's been through more than what you can imagine," Hugo said slowly as Adrien caught a hint of hope in his eyes, as if he knew something he didn't, but Adrien didn't say anything further. Instead...

"How do you know?"

"I may be quiet... but I am VERY observant, there's a lot of things I've noticed about Maman and you. I know more than you think I know," Hugo instantly replied as he nodded his head in the other direction and Adrien followed his nod to find Marinette discreetly looking at them.

"What exactly is she hurting inside about?" Adrien asked curiously as Hugo looked back at the window with slight uncertainty.

"That, I don't know, she wouldn't tell me, but I know it's something big that's hurting her inside, why else would she disappear for 15 years?" Hugo asked conspicuously as Adrien felt the cogs in his head turn when he heard it. Why else would she disappear? It had to be something big.

"Thank you Hugo, your words do mean a lot," Adrien smiled warmly as Hugo reciprocated that smile, and that smile lessened for a moment as he thought about something.

"After what happened yesterday, it may take me a while to trust you, but don't mention it. There will come a day... where I can trust you like Louis and Emma do. Hmph... those two... they're too easily trusting, I guess that's what sets me apart," Hugo murmured as he looked back at his siblings who were talking to Marinette happily. Adrien looked at him questioningly before smiling.

"Hey, sometimes, being a little mistrusting is good. It means you have a good sense of judgement, it's rare to find that in an eight year old kid," Adrien said as he ruffled Hugo's hair causing Hugo to smile brightly.

"Thanks... Mr. Agreste, but you know... and I know you're curious to know, if you wanna start looking into why Maman left and this is just a suggestion, take a look into what happened the night she left or when you realized she was gone. There might be something that will give you a clue," Hugo said mysteriously before standing up and walking back to where his family was. He was immediately scooped up by Tom and placed on his shoulders, laughing with everyone else. However, Adrien sat there thinking... what stood out to him when he realized that she disappeared? And suddenly it came to him and boy did he feel like he hit the jackpot with his revelation. He remembered that she left something behind as a final goodbye.

The letter she wrote before leaving... or per say... the collection of letters she made.


	9. Chapter8:TheLettersofBitterTears

Chapter 8: The Letters of Bitter Tears

I trailed my cold and desolate fingers over the material that was paper... but what was colder and more gut wrenching was what was written on that paper. With trembling hands, I peeled the letter apart and inched out a paper that was neatly wrapped inside of it. What kind of answer or explanation I will get from this... I don't know... but how can I expect it to be any good? With a heavy heart, I read it.

Dear Adrien,

If you are reading this, I guess it means you already know...I'm leaving... and I know that you're hurt with me leaving for no reason and without saying goodbye. Just when... we were starting to blossom into something more... just our luck hmmm? I wanted to tell you that I'll probably not come back... ever... I can't... for both of our sakes. However, I wanted to say all these things to you while we were together, but now that I can't, I might as well say them here. I hope you realize that I will always be here with you, even if I'm not physically there. I know how cold you father is towards you and believe me when I say that I want to be there for you. You'll probably hate me since... I promised you that I would see things with you to the end and I flaked out. No. It's not like that, but it's for reasons that I can't explain. I wanted to tell you that... even though I hope you'll wait for me, I know I can't do that to you. You're the greatest guy I've ever met and some lucky girl is going to be lucky to have you, I had you for a good second and it was the most amazing feeling in the world. See the world, find new hope and happiness, you can do it without me. I love you... and... I hope we get to meet again someday, somewhere, in another life. I have to stay away from you, for both of our sakes, and I'll never get tired of saying it or writing it: I love you... so much. Goodbye... Adrien, and god forbid that I won't die from embarrassment from writing "I love you" two, scratch that, three times. Please... move on without me and place your anger and hatred on me because I will bear it with all my heart. I love you.

Love, Marinette

I was surprised I could even read the letter through my own blinding tears. I immediately noticed the smudged areas in the letter, they looked like tear stains, and a lot of them too. She was crying... so much when she wrote this. Who did this to her? Who caused her so much pain? That's all I wanna know and I'm gonna make that person pay. Marinette... I will find you again, and I'm gonna say those words I wished I told you in person:

"I love you too."

Dear Alya,

Alya... this may come as a bit of a shock to you but, I'm disappearing. I can't tell you why, but thank you... for being my best friend through all these years. You've always had my back and I've done nothing to help you in return. I'm sorry, I should have been a better friend. I made it all about me... I hope you're gonna keep smiling with Nino. I know how much you like him, don't think I haven't noticed you two making out behind my back. I wished we could have done so many more things together as best friends and now I won't be able to do any of them with you... You go out there and build your journalism career, I read your blogs you know? They're great. I know you're gonna do great... don't worry about me. I may not be there physically but you'll hear me going on my Adrien rants if you listen close enough to the wind. Thank you again... for being my best friend and I hope I was yours...

Your Best Friend, Marinette

"Mari... you're not the type to pull these sort of serious things... what happened to you? Why are you.. suddenly pushing all of us away?"

Dear Nino,

Hey. I've known you to be the easiest person to talk to. So I should be able to talk to you in this letter so easily... and yet why is it so hard to write this to you without crying? I'm sorry... I'm rambling and I'm writing it on paper, god dang it. Nino if you don't already know, I'm leaving... for a long time. Take care of Alya for me... she's my best friend and you're the one she loves so that shouldn't be a problem for you. You hurt her and I will make sure you see that pair of headphones on your neck as a choking device. KIDDING! But seriously, take care of her for me, you're gonna do the best job out of anyone. You're the funniest and most social guy around so I know you'll be fine. Comfort Adrien for me, I can't tell you why I'm leaving but I can tell you that it's better for all of us. My existence and an unexpected existence is becoming a problem for all of us. It sounds a lot like a depression statement but trust me when I say that it isn't. Take your music and DJ career far Nino, we weren't the best of friends but I can count on you to have my back. Face the music and make everyone smile with your DJ skills. Goodbye Nino...

Your dudette friend, Marinette

"You know... you're one of the only people who supports my DJ dream? It really sucks that you're gone..."

Dear Chloe,

What can I say? Well... you finally got your wish, I'm going to disappear and not in a good way. There's some things I can't control and it's best if I'm not around for your sake and the other's. I know that you didn't want to get rid of me like this, but you got your wish nonetheless. It was fun being bullied by you through high school. One thing I can say though is that you are an angel compared to Lila. Seriously. That is the ONLY compliment I am going to give you so hold on to it. You may be annoying, a brat, materialistic, pompous, a total witch, and spoiled like curdled milk, but I semi enjoyed the time that we had together. Try to get Adrien to move on... there's a good chance that I'm no longer what he needs, or at least that's how I think of myself. Chloe... I know you're lonely inside and that nobody seems to care about you but all you have to do is make a little effort to be compassionate. Sometimes a little kindness makes all the difference, and this is not just a stupid moral quote. To you, it WILL mean a lot, trust me. Anyway... I guess this is good bye... Farewell Chloe.

Your semi frenemy for all eternity, Marinette

"Hmph... what makes you think you know me? *sniff* I'll try Maritrash, you can count on me. And I'll try to listen to your advice, it is your final parting words."

Dear Lila,

Hello darkness my old friend, I see we've come to meet again. Ehem... sorry. Sometimes you just have to say you're fine, but you're not really fine, but you can't get into it. SORRY! It was too funny to pass up. Anyway... Lila... you're a total bitch, let's get that out of the way... and... wow... there's really nothing else I can say! Oh yeah! You might want to do something about that botched eye lift, it makes you look like a total snake. I am so glad I got that out... BYE!

The girl who made you eat your words, Marinette

"Wow... what a bitch."

"She is right though you gotta admit, you are a bitch, and your letter was pretty funny."

"Hey!"

"Oh my god! You did have plastic surgery to lift your eye! No wonder you don't look human."

"Shut up!"

There's more letters in the collection but these were just some of them. The question is: what is she trying to say? The culmination of these letters, maybe not Lila's leads to a huge answer... but what is it? Marinette... I swear, I will purge your darkness and you can smile again and you won't have to cry on a goodbye letter anymore. Not while I'm alive...

I promise.


	10. Chapter9:ObligationCanBeaPrison

You know... I distinctly remember the day I signed that contract... and I've lived to that contract to this very day. How could I forget? It was a day I could never forget... even if I tried. It serves to show how obligation... can be a prison. The grip of the pen to paper, the ink that sealed my fate forever, the ice that surged through my veins. It's not something I would like to remember, but if that day could have went any more horribly, it went like this.

I made sure I saw none of my friends or Adrien for that matter after that talk. Gabriel seemed dead serious about making me disappear, but what can I do? I can't just waltz in there and dropkick him until he complies to let this go. No, I brought this upon myself, so I should bear the consequences, and nobody else. The mansion seemed cold when I walked up to it, what was weird was that the gate was already open. Cautiously, I walked straight in, eyeing the spotless white doors warily. Gabriel usually confronted people at the gate... why was it open? I set my hand upon the door and it was surprisingly unlocked, but when I opened the door, I immediately put the pieces together. Standing clear as day, right in front of me was Gabriel Agreste. He looked as if he was waiting for me, the doddering creep, but it still managed to scare me nonetheless.

"I've been expecting you Marinette Dupain Cheng..." Gabriel said lowly as his gaze never wavered and his stance remained unchanged. That sentence was the only sign of acknowledgment he gave me as he absolutely did nothing at all to react.

"How long have you been standing there waiting like the cowardly creep you are?" I retorted mockingly as Gabriel barely expressed a smirk and beckoned me to follow.

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that, follow along, Adrien's not here by the way," Gabriel added on as I made my way up the agonizingly long staircase. Gabriel took another cold look back at me and made another comment that made my heart sink terribly. What is it with this man? "You know... that goodbye letter you wrote, you must have really influenced him, I haven't heard him cry and sob for such a long period of time since his mother disappeared..."

I felt myself tense and grit my teeth especially hard, how much more does he have to rub it in, "Shut up... don't make this any more difficult than it needs to be, it's already excruciating enough." I huffed as I roughly pushed my way past him and sat myself down in the foreboding, singled out chair in front of his desk. Soon, he sat in front of me with a low, knowing smile and set a piece of paper in front of me.

"This is the contract... you'll be signing for all eternity..." Gabriel mused as I looked at the contract as if it was my poison, one touch... and I would waste away, just like that.

"I know you're just using the word eternity as a threat," I replied as I felt Gabriel shift in his chair and I looked up to find him staring at me, amused.

"Am I now? Hmph, let's get on with the terms shall we?" Gabriel asked thoughtfully as he started pointing out the terms, starting with the first paragraph and I quote "Section 1, subsection A, sub-subsection Roman numeral 1." Yes... apparently he's thought this out... terrifyingly well.

"You may not under any circumstances be within Adrien's viewing range, 20-20 vision mind you, so that means you need to be at least 2 blocks away from him if he were to look straight ahead, either way, you'll never see him in the flesh again," Gabriel said solemnly as I continued to look at the contract in disbelief, it was then I started to notice how many GOD DAMN FRICKITY FRACK pages there are.

"A little unreasonable, but alright... what's next?" I asked exhaustedly as I felt that sinking feeling that this... was gonna take a while. Normally, his last statement would have made me go to the verge of tears, but you know... I already used up half my tears... what's the point?

"Section 1, subsection B, sub-subsection Roman numeral 2, this is just a rule for when your child is born, nobody may know that you child is ever born. Your parents are not allowed to visit you at all in the hospital room," Gabriel continued as I felt myself immediately reject to that statement.

"Hey! Even though Adrien may not be there to hold him when he's born, but at least let my parents visit! They have nothing to do with you! They are his grandparents! They are allowed to see their grandchild!" I angrily interjected as I glared at him hard. Who does he think he is? Preventing my parents from seeing their grandchild? Gabriel feigned a look of probably fake understanding as he nodded.

"Fine... I'll let your parents and ONLY your parents visit."

"Fair enough..."

"Next... you know... saying all of these sections out loud might be a little tedious. I'm just gonna go right out and relay them to you," Gabriel said as he flipped through the seemingly endless pages of the bane of my existence and just started with the next rule.

"You may not under any circumstances, add any of your old contacts onto your new phone, except for your parents," Gabriel said as he slid a brand new black phone over to me and I examined it to find that it was exactly identical to my current one... except that this is blank slate.

"Alright... you probably put a bug on it to monitor literally all of my conversations and activity, you are SUCH a control freak," I said as I slipped my AMAZING new phone into my bag. Gabriel rolled his eyes as he continued. This process is gonna continue for the next couple of hours because he set a lot of rules and it's teetering on borderline psychotic but I'll give you the gist of what he said.

"So let me get this clear," I said as I finally set the paper down and it was in the extremely late afternoon. Gabriel had to cancel a couple of calls from Adrien since he was wondering where his father was. Trust me... he's going to hell, or at least I wish he would, "Let's see... stay away from Adrien, don't talk with him, don't engage with him, don't talk about the past, don't talk about the future even if he prompts the question. If he should prevent me from getting away from him with my legally bound automatic 'book it' response, then pretend I don't know him. Repeat this process for all of my friends and if I am prevented from getting away, pretend I don't know them. If Louis ever asks about his lack of a father, say that he is out of the picture and that he didn't love us..." my heart broke slightly at that last part, I knew Adrien would love him, even if it was unplanned, "raise your child so that he'll hate Adrien and never want to meet him so avoid any accidental meetings..." I felt my voice die as I kept saying it out loud. I tried so hard... so incredibly hard to not crack in front of Gabriel but I couldn't help it.

"Crying aren't we? I was wondering when your resolve would sway and crack under the fact that you'll never have a normal conversation with anyone from your old life ever again," Gabriel laughed as he flipped to the last page where I saw the line in bold where my signature was supposed to be.

"You're a sick, twisted person! What kind of person takes amusement in seeing someone else truly suffer?" I asked tearily and angrily, not sure which as Gabriel continued to laugh and slide over a pen to my fingers.

"You know the answer to that Ms. Dupain Cheng, I specifically take enjoyment in watching you suffer. After all, you got yourself into this mess, I don't think you can dig yourself out of the hellhole you've made yourself," Gabriel smiled evilly as I let what he said sink in. I did dig myself a really deep hole this time. However, it gives him no right as a human being to make that hole go all the way down to hell. Whatever is going on in that man's mind, I don't know, I don't know how this contract is supposed to fix things. It feels like I'm just brewing this mess until it boils over and explodes in everyone's face. Although, I'm not really in the decision to question him, since I'll probably die the second I even make a single comment about it.

"No, it's a hole that you dug deeper for me, let's not switch up who's at fault here," I retorted as Gabriel narrowed his eyes at me and flickered his eyes between my hand and the pen. Trust me when I say that there were more rules, but those were just some of the big ones.

"Are you going to sign it or not?" Gabriel asked impatiently as I slowly gripped the pen and set the tip down on the contract line. This is the moment that will seal my fate forever, I got myself into this mess and it's obvious that I was never meant to get out. However, I will survive... no matter what because Louis is counting on me to be there for him when he's finally born. There's nothing else I can do.

"Alright..." I whispered as I signed my name and slid both the contract and pen back to him. It is done.

"I'll send you a copy when you reach your new place, your bags are already packed the bakery, just take them and disappear," Gabriel said as he packed the contract away, stood up, and showed Marinette out the door, "pleasure doing business with you Marinette."

(Alright! I'm doing that music suggestion thing again! "Warmth is Gone" from the Fire Emblem Fates soundtrack is a very sad and emotional theme for this, it fits with this perfectly! Check it out! For people who say that this leaves little to be desired, it's just to imagine the scene better in all honesty so to each his own)

"I would say likewise... but no... Good day Gabriel..." I said solemnly before I felt his evil smile bore into my neck before he shut the door and I allowed myself to cry. I'm going to have to do this a lot... act strong when all I want to do is curl up into a fetal position and cry. However, I can't afford to cry, for Louis' sake, he needs me and I'm not gonna be weak for him. Also, Adrien would want me to be strong, even if I'm going to disappear. I felt tears continue to run down my face as I walked through the empty halls of the Agreste Mansion. I slipped on a black cloak I had in my bag that had a gold and white collar. As I finally made it to the stairs, I was a little surprised that no one had caught me yet, but oh well. As I approached the door with my hood up, I reached my hand out for it but it opened before I could touch it. There, standing in front of me, was Adrien who had just come back from a photoshoot. I did feel like I got away a little too easily.

"Oh, who are you?" Adrien asked as I nodded to him and didn't respond, trying to move past him, but he wouldn't let me. I couldn't move past his large yet slender frame and I stood frozen trying to get past him. I tried to disguise my voice as much as I could without crying.

"It's really none of your business, I was here on business with your father," I said really mysteriously like... try comparing it some sort of sorceress who stands in front of a crystal ball to predict the future. Adrien looked at me questioningly before nodding in understanding.

"Ah, I see, well, you don't really look like any business partner I've ever seen him with, but what reason do I have to doubt you?" Adrien asked reassuringly as he stepped aside and let me through. Adrien... I really will miss you, you bring so much righteousness and light into this world. Thank you... for being the guy that you are, and that's why I love you.

"Thank you... have a nice day Adrien, for both of our sakes," I replied as Adrien looked at me with a confused look.

"What was that?"

"Oh nothing... goodbye... forever," I cried as I walked faster, out the gate, and back into the city. I walked back to the bakery, contemplating what have I done to get to this point in life. What exactly did I do to deserve this? That night with Adrien was so amazing, it was a dream come true, but I never imagined it would go to this extent. I could tell when I was speaking to him that there was such a void inside where love used to be. The make up from his photoshoot couldn't hide his flushed cheeks or his eyes, dried by tears. I truly hope he can move past it along with everyone else. Thank you Adrien, for everything. I hope we can meet, in a better life somewhere. That's what I truly wish. Someday, it'll all come full circle and you can know the truth, but for now... I'll suffer... for you and Louis until that day comes.


	11. Chapter10:WhatDoChameleonsDo?

Author's Note: Hey guys! SnivyLord here and I just wanted to thank you all so much for reading my story and I hope you enjoy as more updates are on the way! Also! I don't think I mentioned this before but this is a modern Child AU, meaning that they don't have powers. At least not for this fanfic anyway, but I just wanted to let you all know. Anyway, enjoy!

Adrien scanned his eyes over Marinette's letter again. The more times he read it over again, the more he was reminded of the pain and loneliness he felt when he first read it. Hugo was right, there was a clue, something in this letter that Marinette was trying to tell him. Thanks to Hugo being really vague, he didn't know what it was. He was going to decipher it though, no matter what. Adrien sighed as he put the letter into the secret compartment in his drawer. It contained private things that not even Kagami knows about. Adrien then got up and as soon as he reached the door, the door swung open to reveal Kagami with her usual resting bitch face. Trust me, she's perfectly fine, but her resting face is a permanent frown.

"Oh Kagami! How are you doing?" Adrien asked as he gave her a peck on the lips. Kagami smiled back at him and sighed as she put her valise down, "how was the fencing seminar?"

"Oh it was great! There were so many people who were interested in fencing as a hobby and profession. I got to teach all of them about the noble art of fencing. How are you? Did you resolve the Marinette thing?" Kagami asked as Adrien smiled wide at the question. Kagami set her stuff down and gave him a weird look as she saw that smile.

"Oh, yeah! I ran into her at the Style Queen Magazine building, apparently she's the fashion editor there! I caught up with her and I got to meet her kids, it's pretty much resolved, even though we had a small falling out," Adrien chuckled nervously as he recalled how he officially reunited with Marinette. Kagami raised her brow at him but decided not to question it.

"You did, did you? May I see them?" Kagami asked as Adrien nodded and pulled out his phone where he showed Kagami a selfie of himself, Louis, Hugo, and Emma in the same photo. He had some other photos with Marinette in the photo as well but this was the best one he had. Adrien was in the center and Louis was smiling wide over his left shoulder with his arm resting on it while Hugo was on the other side giving a shy smile. Emma was in the center with Adrien under his chin, showing off her white teeth. In the background, there was the display window of the pastries and it was such an adorable photo. Kagami's eyes widened as she looked over the kids.

"The one on the left is Louis, Marinette's oldest son, and the one on the right and in the center is Hugo and Emma respectively. They're twins and Louis is their older brother. Wait until you meet them, they're amazing kids," Adrien's eyes shone with happiness as he continued to compliment them. Kagami couldn't believe her eyes, these kids were Marinette's but they share so many resemblances to Adrien, especially the girl. She had his hair and eye color. Maybe it was some sort of weird coincidence, she can't assume the worst. After all, Marinette had twins within the 15 year period where she disappeared so it's not that... or at least she hopes it isn't.

" I-I see... well anyway aren't you meeting up with Marinette again today? She said something about a high school reunion that Alya planned happening today, she couldn't get a hold of you so she told me to remind you," Kagami solemnly said as Adrien nodded and glanced at his watch to gauge the time.

"Oh really? Alright, are you gonna be going anywhere Kagami?" Adrien asked as he gave her another peck on the cheek before heading towards the door.

"No, not today, I've been busy for the past couple of days so I had hoped to get today to relax." Kagami sighed as she laid back on the bed as Adrien smiled at her.

"You should get some rest, you deserve it. Well I'm gonna be going out now, see you later Kagami," Adrien smiled as he gave one last peck on the cheek and proceeded to go get ready for the high school reunion. He was so excited for Marinette to see all of her friends again, she lost contact for so long and now she has a chance to reconnect with her friends! Or at least... he hopes so. Soon, he reaches the Dupain-Cheng bakery where the party was actually being held. However, it wasn't going to happen for a couple of hours, so he had time to kill. When he came in, the soft bell chimed and what surprised him and he didn't know why, was that he saw Louis behind the counter wearing an apron and a baker's cap. Louis didn't notice him until he heard the bell ring and he looked up from the recipe book he was reading to have a elated yet shocked look dawn on his face.

"Oh hey Mr. Agreste! What brings you by the bakery so early?" Louis asked as he ripped his eyes away from the book and turned to face Adrien, who smiled.

"I just wanted to come by a little early, just to hang out. You know about your mom's high school reunion today right?" Adrien asked as he leaned his arm against the counter as Louis returned a smile and brought out some pastries to put into the display window.

"Yeah! Of course, she told us about it a few days ago, I'm glad that she's gonna get to meet her high school friends, I don't remember seeing her hanging out with her friends... ever actually," Louis pondered as a sour look crossed his face for a second before he smiled back at Adrien.

"Well, all of that is going to change, but can I ask; Why are you wearing an apron and baker's cap?" Adrien asked as Louis smirked and pointed to a picture of Marinette, Tom, and Sabine.

"Ummm.. I'm a baker's son? It's kinda one of my favorite hobbies," Louis let out a proud smirk as he gestured to his outfit and Adrien smirked back.

"So it seems like you inherited your mom's love for baking," Adrien started to say but he heard a pair of voices chirp from the back.

"Actually, all of us did!" Emma added as Adrien saw that she was covered in flour and had frosting on her face. Hugo came up next to her with a slight look of disgust for how dirty she was as he was completely clean.

"Emma, why didn't you wash up after you made the batter? You created a huge flour cloud when you set the stand mixer setting on high," Hugo said as he tried to brush off the dust from her shoulders. Emma let out a big smile as she helped him brush off the flour.

"Sometimes in baking, you have to get a little dirty sometimes," Emma retorted as Louis laughed and ruffled her hair.

"I'm pretty sure not that dirty, always keep your baking area clean of clutter, Mom told you that remember?" Louis sighed as Adrien smiled at Louis' gentleness with his siblings as Hugo nodded and looked over at Adrien.

"Hey Mr. Agreste, can you help Emma wash up? The washroom is in the back," Hugo instructed as Adrien nodded and guided Emma into the washroom to grab the washcloth and dust off the flour first. Emma giggled as she helped Adrien brush off the flour. Adrien then brought his finger up to swipe some frosting off her cheek and tasted it.

"Hmmm.. this is pretty good! You gotta tell me your recipe some time," Adrien winked at Emma who grinned and tasted the frosting herself.

"Sure!" Emma replied as Adrien wiped off her face with the washcloth and after he was done wiping her face, he couldn't help but take in Emma's features and watch her closely. She had beautiful blond hair like her older brother and she had these sparkling emerald eyes and a roundish face. It was incredibly cute to say the least. They both grinned playfully like that for a good moment or so before Adrien stood up and walked out with her. When they went back to the front, they found Marinette, Hugo, and Louis finishing the rest of the frosting for the cookies that they were gonna bring to the high school reunion. Marinette must have come back while Adrien was busy cleaning up Emma. Marinette finally noticed the two coming back into the kitchen and smiled brightly.

"Oh Adrien! You came by early today? Hugo told me that you were helping Emma wash up, thank you so much," Marinette grinned as Emma ran up to hug her and ran past her to help Louis and Hugo, "Emma! Remember to roll up your sleeves!"

"Got it!"

"It's no problem really, need any help setting up the decorations?" Adrien asked as Marinette pondered for a moment before replying.

"Yeah, actually, I just need you to set up some streamers around the cafe, the streamers are in that box on the left side of the counter by the way," Marinette said as she gestured to a box on the front counter all the way to the left. Adrien quickly walked over and examined what was in the box, seeing multicolored streamers and a banner that said '15 Year High-school Reunion!'

"Alright, where do you want me to put these?" Adrien asked as Marinette walked over to him and looked throughout the bakery to imagine where she would put the streamers. Soon, Marinette instructed him to hang up the streamers in specific places and sometimes she would help him hang them up. Occasionally, their hands would brush up against one another when they ended up working in the same place and they would blush lightly but they didn't think much of it. When they were done, the bakery looked fantastic. The banner was in a very conspicuous and obvious place as the streamers were hung all around.

"We're done!" Marinette clapped her hands together as Louis, Hugo, and Emma came out of the kitchen with beautifully crafted cookies.

"These just came out of the blast chiller! Try not to eat some!" Emma chirped as they set the plate down on the center table and went back into the kitchen to get their other batches to fill up the catering table. Soon, the table was filled with desserts and Louis couldn't help but look proudly at the desserts that he and his siblings made. He then felt his mom's arm swing over his shoulders and he saw Marinette smile at him.

"That's my boy, the baking genes have made their way into you, either that, or you may have used salt instead of sugar, but who knows," Marinette teased as Louis felt himself argue back in defiance with a slight pout.

"Hey! I thought you had faith in me!" Louis retorted as Marinette continued to tease him.

"True, I do, but who knows, you haven't made that mistake yet and you did make a lot of batches," Marinette looked at him knowingly with a mischievous glint.

"Then what was all that nonsense about baking being in my genes!?" Louis asked incredulously as Marinette laughed.

"It was a figure of speech! Baking isn't genetic! It may be in our blood, but not everyone has that baking touch."

"Thank you SO much for the confidence Mom, you haven't even tasted the cookies so who's to say?" Louis rolled his eyes sarcastically as he noticed Hugo and Emma trying not to laugh out of the corner of his eye.

"Honey, you know I'm joking, they're gonna be great, after all, you learned from the best!"

"I know I know, the reunion is starting in a couple of hours so might as well get ready," Louis replied as he looked towards Adrien, who was smirking at them and nodded as he brought both Hugo and Emma upstairs to get ready. Marinette then felt Adrien's presence fill in next to her as she looked wistfully over the bakery. A reunion, that word seemed weird no matter how many times it materialized in her mind or just saying it out loud. Considering what she went through, she doesn't know whether the word even meant anything to her anymore. However, she was going to try her best to make sure that it is. Later on into the evening, the high-school reunion was in full swing and the whole bakery was closed for the private party. Marinette could not express her happiness at seeing her friends again. Not just Alya and Nino, but everyone...

"Marinette! It has been too long!!" Kim shouted as Marinette gave him a hug and screamed at the fact that Ondine was married to him. She always knew they were a match, it was just a matter of time. Kim looked definitely older but he kept that highlighted hairstyle since it suited him. They had an 8 year old girl so she could play with Hugo and Emma. Another couple was Rose and Juleka. Marinette wasn't exactly all that surprised to see them together, to be honest, she kinda saw it coming.

"Really? You're not surprised? In the slightest?" Rose asked as she continued to squeal and hug Marinette.

"No, because I've already caught you guys sneaking in kisses one way or another, it was just a matter of time," Marinette grinned as she felt Adrien appear next to her and congratulate them.

"You know, I run a floral perfume company? It's my life's work!" Rose exclaimed as Marinette grinned in great interest.

"Nice! Very nice... it was so great seeing you again!" Marinette said as she went to greet the rest of the guests. Max was next! Marinette was very pleased to find out that he went on to be a great computer programmer and software developer with a healthy gaming addiction on the side. He was everything Marinette thought he'd turn out to be, pursuing his passion. It turns out, Max was gay for Kim, but he gave up when Kim got married to the girl of his dreams. Max eventually did move on and had a wife! They didn't have kids yet but they were planning on having one.

"You still play Ultimate Mecha Strike 3?" Marinette asked and was pleased to hear an instant reply.

"Yes! Of course," Max said triumphantly as he pushed the rim of his glasses further up his nose and Adrien couldn't help but laugh. They always had that game in common. Next was Ivan and Mylène, they did end up getting married and that was great. There was really nothing else new about them, other than having an absolutely adorable 8 year old son. Finally, there was Chloe and Sabrina, Sabrina had surprisingly (not surprisingly) become Chloe's assistant and Marinette was afraid to say that Chloe worked Sabrina like a dog.

"Oh my god! Maritrash Dupain-Cheng!" Chloe exclaimed as she caught up with Marinette, who rolled her eyes.

"Really? We still aren't past the nicknames Chloe?" Marinette asked tiredly as Chloe gave her a pointed look but smiled nonetheless.

"Nope, but at least this time, I can say it without completely hating you," Chloe explained as Marinette felt her soul breath a sigh of relief. Finally, Marinette can breathe. Chloe eyed Adrien behind Marinette and eyed him with a mixed expression. Adrien felt himself fidget nervously as Marinette stepped aside to eye the atmosphere between the two before laughing slightly.

"Oh... I forgot you two... ummm..." Marinette started but thought to keep herself quiet as Chloe and Adrien stared each other down. After a excruciatingly long moment, Chloe spoke.

"It's certainly been a while Adrien," Chloe said as Marinette stared at her with a blank look.

"Oh my god.. I think this is the first time I hear you call Adrien by his name and not 'Adrikins!'" Marinette mock attempted Chloe's voice at the last part causing Adrien to laugh slightly.

"Chloe... It's been a while indeed, I really hope there aren't any bad feelings about... you know," Adrien said as he raised his eyebrows at her as if he was mentioning a past event. Chloe smiled slightly before patting Adrien on the shoulder.

"It's honestly ok really! I found someone new and the fact that you think I would be dwelling on that is ridiculous, utter ridiculous," Chloe sported a smug smirk on her face while Adrien felt himself sweat nervously about bringing it up in the first place, "Here he is now! The man of the hour!" Chloe gestured to her right to which Adrien and Marinette's gaze followed to a familiar man with a teal ombre. Marinette recognized that hairstyle anywhere.

"Oh my god... is that Luka?!" Marinette clapped a hand over her mouth as she felt Adrien tense next to her in shock as well. Luka married Chloe? Just imagining that sentence in her mind made her want to faint.

"Luka! It's been a long time man! How have you been?" Adrien semi-forced a smile as he shook hands with Luka, who nodded and took his place at Chloe's side. Marinette was at a loss for words, literally.

"Why? What? How? H-h-how... Chloe, you married L-luka?!" Marinette managed to force out as Chloe let out another smug smirk as she hugged Luka from behind.

"Yep! Look alive at my husband suckers! What do you think of me now Marinette Dupain-Cheng?" Chloe asked proudly as Marinette looked between her and Luka, whose gaze was intense on Marinette. Marinette still looked at a loss for words as she sucked in her breath and forced a smile.

"I really am happy for you, really, I am, congratulations," Marinette felt herself break out into a smile that was laced with hollowness, devoid of feeling but it was still a genuine smile. She just didn't know how to explain it, she guessed it was just a jealous feeling that everyone else turned out so well.

"And you ended up alone! Just as I predicted!" Chloe laughed as Adrien felt himself bristle with anger, it wasn't exactly nice for Chloe to just say that out loud. Luka looked from Marinette to Adrien as Chloe continued to gloat. There was a feeling that he couldn't quite shake, he knew Adrien was engaged to Kagami and yet...

"I know I'm alone... and yeah, I did end up the way you foresaw. However, I'm not as alone as you think," Marinette smiled tearfully and as if right on cue, Louis, Hugo, and Emma appeared right by her side and smiled courteously at the guests in front of them, "I have three wonderful kids that makes loneliness a nonexistent feeling for me." Chloe gaped as she eyed Louis, Hugo, and Emma, who were standing proudly next to their mom.

"Well, I don't believe I've had the pleasure of meeting you Mrs. Couffaine... or Bourgeois?" Louis smiled nervously as he tried to figure out whether she kept her maiden name. Luka then answered for him.

"She kept her maiden name."

"Oh, thank you," Louis started but he heard a shriek from Emma and he looked past Marinette's shoulders to find Emma slowly backing away from a very creepy Constantine.

"Constantine! I swear! The feeling's only platonic!" Emma tried to explain as she swore she saw hearts in his eyes.

"Emmikins! Don't say that! You're gonna love the present I prepared for you! I won't let anybody take Senpai!" Constantine gushed as he attempted to hug Emma, who dodged and hid behind Adrien. Hugo groaned and intervened as he was starting to get tired of this creepy yandere persona he's sporting.

"Oh please don't tell me you just said that," Hugo groaned as he looked disapprovingly at Constantine, "Dude! Have a little more dignity why don't you?! You look like a complete charity case!" Hugo said as he felt a glowering presence counter him harshly.

"Well excuse you! Don't act like such a know-it-all to my son! Try to be a little more conceited why don't you?!" Chloe glowered at Hugo while he scoffed slightly and looked at her pointedly.

"Then why don't you try caking a little less make up why don't you? Those blemishes aren't going anywhere," Hugo snapped back as Marinette and Adrien held back a laugh but they ultimately failed as they along with Louis and Emma doubled over in laughter. Chloe was insulted for sure, but there was something odd that she couldn't place. Looking at Marinette's kids, she felt weird, as if there was a whole picture to it but there was a part missing. Framing things in a different perspective makes the revelations all the more revealing. Chloe scanned over all of them and saw the whole picture: Marinette and Adrien and more specifically, them with Marinette's kids. The resemblance was weirdly uncanny, a little too weird.

"Hmph, just be glad I'm in too good of a mood to take insults of a child like you. So Marinette, what happened to the father?" Chloe asked as she immediately noticed Marinette's mood turning sour and she saw that Marinette was resisting the urge to do something.

"He's... out of the picture?"

"Oh really? I mean... how dumb could he be if he let you go?" Chloe asked as Marinette snapped her head up to look at her in surprise. After a few moments, Marinette looked towards the ground again and stared aimlessly as if she was trying come up with some sort of answer.

"No... he didn't let me go... I was the one who let him go..." Marinette whispered as she felt herself relive the memory as she felt tears prick at the edges of her eyes. Adrien immediately noticed and spoke up.

"Chloe, I think that's enough, she's uncomfortable already," Adrien interjected as Chloe looked between Adrien and Marinette and huffed.

"I guess so..." Chloe said as she was actually really curious as to what Marinette was up to in these last 15 years, however, she thinks she's pried enough. Soon enough, a girl who looked to be about Louis' age came up to Chloe and Luka's side and looked uninterestingly between Adrien and Marinette. She was blond, Marinette saw she was wearing sleek black jeans and a magenta top with a black coat over the outfit. Her hair was tied back in a braid. Marinette noticed she had a slight teal ombre just like Luka and had his eyes.

"So these were the people you wanted to meet tonight Mom?" The girl asked as Marinette gave her a confused look as Chloe patted her on the head, making the girl frown slightly.

"Yes, Elena, these were my old high-school classmates Adrien and Marinette," Chloe introduced the girl to the pair in question. Marinette looked even more shocked for some god forsaken reason.

"You had a daughter?!" Marinette asked in disbelief as Elena noticed Louis standing right beside her and squealed with delight.

"Louiekins! WHAT a SURPRISE meeting you here!" Elena squealed as she launched herself onto Louis, who tilted his head back and tried to gently pry off the girl, but to no avail.

"Oh... Elena, it's good to see you too... ummm... could you... ummm.."

"Keep hugging you? Sure!"

"No! Ughhhh..." Louis groaned as he kept turning his head away from where Elena was laying her head on his shoulder. He looked to Marinette and Adrien with an pleading look mouthing 'help me' with Marinette looking back with a empathetic look. The group then heard another shriek as Emma came running and held her hand out as if she was taming a wild animal as she kept Constantine at bay.

"Constantine! I told you, why can't you take a hint!" Emma groaned as she took a couple of steps back from the aforementioned boy that was creeping towards her. Emma looked to her right and made eye contact with Louis and they shared a look that said 'tell me about it' that Adrien just found hilarious.

"Don't be like that Emma! There's enough love for you Emmikins!" Constantine continued to gush as Emma groaned and continued to avoid Constantine like the plague. Adrien found it to be extremely coincidental because Chloe used to call him "Adrikins" and now Chloe and Marinette's kids are literally having the same interactions. Little did Adrien know, Chloe was aware of this too, she found it so odd that her children were doing the same thing to Marinette's children as she did to Adrien.

"Louiekins! Why don't you show me something later?"

"I'd rather take wine shots until I pass out than do whatever sick thing you have planned."

"Emmikins! Why don't you love me?"

"Because you're acting like a grade A slender man with a really annoying nagging schtick."

Suddenly it hit Chloe what she was trying to piece together. Adrien, Marinette, and her kids look too much like a real family, Adrien is supposedly engaged to someone else, and Marinette is single but when Chloe looked at the full picture of all of them together, they looked so much like a real family. Adrien was laughing at Louis' and Emma's parallel situation, looking so incredibly comfortable with Marinette and Hugo. It was a surreal picture but it was weirdly soothing to look at. Chuckling nervously, Chloe interjected.

"Hey Mari, can I talk to you privately for a second?" Chloe asked as Marinette nodded slowly and walked with Chloe to a semi secluded place in the bakery, leaving Adrien and Luka to talk. When Chloe felt like they were completely alone, she started, "alright, Mari, I want you to answer this question honestly..."

"Alright?" Marinette nodded slowly as she felt a feeling slowly build within her gut, as if she knew what Chloe was going to ask. Chloe had never taken so much interest in talking to her before so it was a pretty new experience.

"How old is your son Louis?" Chloe asked as Marinette let her guard down for an instant since it didn't really seem to be a question that she would be uncomfortable answering.

"He's 14... why?"

"Alright... follow-up question, is Louis Adrien's son?" Chloe asked as she saw Marinette visibly freeze and look straight into her eyes. Chloe saw fear, desperation, surprise, but mostly fear. Marinette only remained contact before looking away at some random point in space.

"Ummm..." Marinette tried to say but she couldn't feel any words form in her throat at all, it was completely void of an answer to give.

"Marinette..."

"Fine! Fine... Louis... he is Adrien's son... I had him after I disappeared that day..." Marinette whispered as Chloe was about so say something else but someone interrupted them. Chloe and Marinette looked towards the interruption to find Alya grinning sadly at them.

"Sorry for interrupting you ladies if you don't mind me joining in," Alya said as she eyed Marinette closely, it looked like she didn't exactly intend to impart with such info so soon, but at least it was only a few people.

"No, but you heard me didn't you Alya?" Marinette asked as Alya stood next to Chloe and nodded.

"Yeah I did, so Louis is really Adrien's son... I had a feeling, Louis resembles Adrien in many ways. He really is his father's son. He has Adrien's charisma, generosity, and all-around good natured and loyal personality. He has your eyes and wit. He has the best parts of both his parents. You should be proud," Alya said as she stepped forward and hugged Marinette, who started to cry. Alya sighed as she patted Marinette's back soothingly as she quieted Marinette's breakdown.

"That means... you became pregnant with him the night you had the blind speed date extravaganza. You disappeared for 15 years after that, never keeping in contact with anybody. Wait... what about your twins? They're also Adrien's right?" Chloe asked as Alya pulled away from Marinette, who wiped her tears away. Marinette felt herself hesitate before answering.

"Yes, they are also Adrien's. Hugo inherited his ruffled hair style and he's practically a male version of me. However, Emma, I know that she is a daddy's girl, I get the sense anyway. She loves showing Adrien her accomplishments and drawings, just how a daughter would show their dad. However!" Marinette interrupted herself as she looked at both ladies intensely, "I will not tell you their story as it is long and a little bit too complicated of a story for you guys to keep up with. Just know by some weird way, all three of them are Adrien's children but PLEASE DO NOT TELL HIM! Don't worry, the kids already know that Adrien is their father, that's why they like hanging out with him so much. HOWEVER, it is for their safety as well as yours that none of this information leaves this triangle, understood?"

Alya and Chloe nodded mutely as Marinette glared at them before softening her gaze again, "I'm perfectly ok with them hanging out with Adrien like a cool uncle but... for their safety, Adrien can't know... no matter what, for now anyway."

"What's stopping you from telling him?" Alya asked as Marinette zoned out at the question. She has an answer... of course, but Marinette can't say that either.

"I can't tell you... just seeing them bonding with their dad without him knowing... is enough for me," Marinette looked at her children fondly as they were happily talking with Adrien and Luka. Alya looked at her with admiration, she really has stepped into the role of being a mom.

"You're putting their happiness before your own, I'm envious really," Alya said as Chloe nodded in agreement. Marinette's gaze softened even more as she looked at nothing in particular. She seemed to do that a lot, she became so much more of a quiet, contemplating person.

"I guess you could say that, it's not like Adrien will ever feel the same way. He's engaged, we were always just meant to be friends," Marinette softly said as she felt her heart break. As much as she wished it wasn't true even after all these years, it's the truth. Alya and Chloe frowned at this but said nothing as they looked at Louis, Gavin, and Elena talking. Three of their children, talking together.

"Well, let's get back, and don't worry Mari, your secret is safe with us," Chloe reassured Marinette as the three made their way back to the main group. Adrien spotted the three and smiled as he walked up next to them along with Luka.

"You guys were gone for a while, what were you guys talking about?" Adrien asked as Chloe immediately intervened.

"It's nothing really, it's just girl talk, it's really none of your concern. Well, I'm gonna meet the rest of our highschool classmates. Mari, call me if you ever need help," Chloe said as she looked at Marinette with a kind smile before sashaying off with Luka to meet everyone else. Marinette smiled softly back and looked at Adrien, who had a dumbfounded look on his face.

"Oh my god... was Chloe actually nice to you? What has this world come to?" Adrien asked jokingly as Marinette scoffed.

"Ha-Ha, Chloe has changed over the years, although she still has that usual... Chloe aura about her," Marinette commented as the rest of the evening went on. Eventually, with the party still in full swing, Marinette heard the door to the bakery open again and she looked over the door and saw someone enter. It was a woman, she had brown hair and it was tied up in a bun. She wore a simple aubergine dress that was middle length with a giant frill trailing over her left shoulder. However, what really stuck out to Marinette was her eyes, they were near horizontal slits like a snake if it was angry. Marinette then gasped in horror and almost dropped her glass of wine when she figured out who it was. Adrien walked up next to Marinette and examined her face worryingly.

"Hey Mari, what's wrong?" Adrien asked as Marinette grabbed Adrien's chin and turned his head to where she was looking.

"Look who just entered," Marinette paled as Adrien spotted who she was talking about and looked closer. When he caught up, he also paled at who it was.

"Oh my god... isn't that," Adrien started but he couldn't continue by how shocked he was. However, Marinette answered for him with the same foreboding glare as if she was Gabriel, even though she wasn't, she's just as bad in a sense. Marinette knew this very well and so did Adrien.

"It's Lila..."


	12. Chapter11:I’llAlwaysBelieveYou

"Oh my god.. that's Lila!" Adrien repeated while Marinette nodded mutely and patted Adrien on the shoulder.

"What are we going to do? Who even invited her here?!" Marinette whisper-yelled as Adrien led her farther away from Lila so they could observe her more and figure out what to do.

"I have no idea, but we can't kick her out! We gotta show some sort of hospitality," Adrien replied as Marinette frowned upon that.

"I wish I had an ounce of hospitality, but I am not that sad to say that I don't have one for her," Marinette retorted coldly as she continue to observe Lila greet some of their old classmates and happily talking to them.

"Hmmm... well maybe she's changed," Adrien commented with a doubtful expression as Marinette scoffed.

"I highly doubt it, but we'll see what tall tales she spouts for someone who's bordering on being a hobbit level midget," Marinette replied as Adrien let out a laugh. Marinette discreetly let out a smile knowing she can make Adrien laugh. Suddenly, she and Adrien felt a pair of arms drape over their shoulders and they both looked to find Louis looking at Lila in question while nestled comfortably between them.

"Whatcha guys talking about? That lady over there?" Louis asked as he used his eyes to gesture to Lila. Marinette groaned as she nodded in reply.

"Yeah we were, let's just say, she's an old acquaintance of ours," Adrien replied for Marinette as Marinette narrowed her eyes at Lila. Louis had never seen her act this cold to anyone else but Gabriel so this was extremely interesting to watch.

"If you must know Louis, she is an old adversary of yours truly," Marinette explained as she gestured towards herself as Louis couldn't help but poke some fun at his mom for it.

"Using the word 'adversary' instead of 'enemy?' She must be a big deal," Louis laughed slightly as Adrien let out a chuckle as Marinette smiled slightly before frowning again.

"She is a big deal, she's basically a female Pinocchio, but without a giant nose to indicate that she's lying. She doesn't have a lying limit and at least Pinocchio actually learned his lesson!" Marinette explained further as Louis nodded in understanding and looked at Lila.

"I dunno Mom, I haven't seen you hate somebody this much besides Gab-ahem," Louis coughed as he realized what would happen if he continued that sentence and Adrien looked at him questioningly as Marinette shot him a knowing look, "I mean... you're such a likeable person and you don't really have a lot of grudges against people. What makes her so hated?" Louis asked as Marinette smiled at the compliments. She doesn't really have a lot of enemies, but the few that she has made, are powerful enemies. One of them, she could never hope to beat, but nonetheless are powerful enemies.

"You know Louis, in my time, I've only made a few enemies, but powerful ones. However I trust you with this secret: Lila is a pompous lying snake who stopped at nothing to make my life a living hell in highschool. Although, thanks to Adrien here, I've decided to let it go for the time being," Marinette explained as Adrien nodded in agreement; Lila is a total snake, "Adrien, remember the conversation we had the day Lila made up the lie about saving Jagged Stone's cat from a speeding airplane even though he has a crocodile and hates cats because he's allergic?"

"Yep, I definitely remember that lie," Adrien deadpanned as Louis looked at his mom in disbelief.

"Yeah, Louis, Adrien told me "as long as you and I both know, does it really matter?" And I actually did believe him, because he said what's the use of humiliating Lila by catching her in one of her lies if making her suffer has never turned her into a good guy," Marinette continued to explain while Louis looked at Adrien in awe, who blushed slightly at the fact that she remembered exactly what he said, "I did believe that, but constantly lying so that it even turns the nature of friendships against each other is crossing a line, it proves that she was a snake who needed to be stopped."

"Yeah, I know, but really though Mari, as long as you and I both knew, did it really matter?" Adrien asked as he looked to the right to find Marinette staring back at him with a tearful look in her eyes. Adrien felt himself inwardly panic as he made her cry, but Marinette smiled and sniffed in a reminiscent manner.

"No, it didn't... as long as you and I both knew, we'd be okay, but it still didn't feel right to let her keep lying," Marinette replied tearfully as she wiped her tears away and Adrien smiled warmly at her. Louis let out a big 'AWWW' and grinned at how close they were, "so what are we going to do?"

"To be honest, I have no idea," Adrien chuckled as Marinette narrowed her eyes at Lila and sighed.

"I mean... I might as well say hi, I mean, it's not like I'm gonna act salty or immature or anything," Marinette mumbled as she turned to see Louis and Adrien looking at her extremely unbelievingly, "what?"

"Ummm... Mom, no offense, but I've known you long enough to know that you're not exactly the most calmest person when it comes to insults or snarky comments directed at you. You tend to bite back... and bite back hard," Louis replied as Adrien nodded in agreement with a laugh. Marinette scoffed in indignation as she argued back.

"Well, I'm not going to be that immature about it! Just watch," Marinette huffed as she started towards Lila to greet her. Adrien and Louis just watched from their spot with a knowing grin on their faces: they both knew that Marinette wouldn't be able to keep her annoyance from showing in the form of savage comments. Marinette tapped Lila on the shoulder and immediately forced an extremely happy disposition.

"Oh my god is that you Lila!? How long has it been?" Marinette asked cheerfully with a forced smile on her face. Lila looked back at her in surprise and smiled back with a sickly grin.

"Not long enough I should say! But it is still good to see you!" Lila chirped back with an ingenuity that reigned supreme. Louis sucked in a harsh breath as he waited for his mom's bite back.

"Oh really? I guess all these years haven't made you any less of a snake! I guess it's true what people say! People never change," Marinette snapped back with a forced smile as Adrien groaned and held his hand out to gesture her example.

"And... there it is..." Adrien groaned as Marinette and Lila continued to smile with a fake nostalgia. Louis also groaned and face palmed.

"Mom... why..." Louis complained as he looked towards Adrien, who looked back at him, and after a couple of moments, they laughed. They didn't know what was so funny but they took joy in the fact that they both knew Marinette so well.

"So! How have you been doing? You know, for being gone for 15 years without a word?" Lila asked as Marinette gritted her teeth and continued to force a smile.

"You know, I've been dealing with some personal issues and thought it would be best that I not be in my friends' lives, for their sakes," Marinette explained as Lila listened and laughed slightly.

"You know, it was SUCH a good decision! Leave everyone you love behind and leave them shattered and heartbroken, yeah I totally see that as a good decision," Lila smiled evilly as Marinette gasped slightly and completely lost her cheerful disposition. She wasn't salty, but she was dead serious and emanated a cold aura. Louis could tell immediately and frowned at his mom's drastic change in mood. A fire was ignited in his stomach as he felt the sudden urge to give Lila a piece of his mind.

"You can't hold me accountable for what happened, it wasn't my fault," Marinette explained coldly as Lila immediately interjected back.

"I totally can, because as far as I'm concerned, you're nothing but a flake and a liar who can't even keep a promise to the one she loves," Lila smirked as Marinette took a step back in fear and anger with a fearful look on her face. The fire had been building for a while and Louis gritted his teeth as he tried to not scream and yell his own justifications.

"Adrien... hold me back, I don't think I can contain my anger much longer, this lady's a total witch!" Louis glared at Lila as he started forward and felt strong arms holding him back. Adrien grunted as he attempted to pull Louis back by both arms but Louis was determined to confront Lila and actually gave Adrien a hard time.

"Louis, you can't! Let your mom handle this!" Adrien said as he held Louis firmly by the elbows and held him back.

"You don't even know the REAL reason why I left, so how can you possibly judge me that way," Marinette replied coldly as Lila sported an amused look on her face.

"Then tell me, what exactly is the reason why you left?" Lila asked as Louis gritted his teeth and looked at Marinette. Marinette looked like she was contemplating on answering but she was extremely conflicted.

"Mom! Don't tell her! She doesn't deserve to know!" Louis called out to Marinette, whose eyes flickered to him and smiled slightly.

"Louis..."

"Yeah?"

"I'm asking you to trust me..." Marinette replied as she smiled and turned back to Lila. Adrien and Louis breathed a sigh of relief as Adrien couldn't help but bring back the foremost thought that had been on his mind: Why did Marinette leave? Surely it wasn't because she had a kid, her letters suggested that there was something else, "I'm sorry Lila, I can't tell you why I left, it's an extremely personal reason and I hope you can respect that." Lila smiled softly at her and laughed a laugh that almost seemed like a witch.

"Hmmm, then I guess I can't change my opinion of you if you continue to hide the truth like the liar you are," Lila replied as Marinette huffed in anger and growled at Lila. Louis felt himself do the same as he started towards Lila again and Adrien held him back, but he couldn't help but glower at Lila as well.

"Now listen here you little bitch," Marinette glowered at Lila as the rest of the party seemed to stop and everyone's attention was drawn to the conversation. Hugo and Emma sidled up next to Adrien and Louis and watched as Marinette continued to get even more angry, "you have no respect for other people's private matters and what happened barely even involves you other than the fact that I wrote you a letter calling you a bitch, WHICH YOU ARE!" Marinette yelled as Lila scoffed and dismissed her words with a wave of her hand.

(Hey guys I have another music suggestion! Listen to it if you want to, but I wrote this particular part while listening to Aqua's 0.2 theme from Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep 0.2 A Fragmentary Passage which is from Kingdom Hearts 2.8 HD Final Chapter Prologue. It adds a very dark note behind this particular part in the chapter. Also, some of the dialogue, I kinda fashioned it to be kinda of a PTSD despair hallucination type thing... so yeah. Only some of the sentences are from the game.)

"Fine, then relive the events of what happened leading up to today and then ask yourself: was it really not your fault?" Lila asked as Marinette furrowed her eyebrows in thought and felt the images of everything flood back into her mind. Every image came back like a slideshow: her first encounter with Gabriel, the signing of the contract, the phone call concerning the pregnancy of the twins, his threat to take them away, the incident at the hospital, Louis getting incredibly injured, the blood flowing onto his hands from the knife, the hell that came after, the incident at the school, the second phone call from hell, the second meeting with Gabriel at the cafe, and now this stirring of those memories. The images kept flooding back in a cycle, going faster and faster until Marinette couldn't take it.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Marinette screamed as she gripped her head and sank to the floor. Adrien gasped and immediately let Louis go so they could help her. Marinette felt the tears flowing out of her eyes as nothing could shake her from her memories, her events, everything that happened. Marinette looked up and saw Gabriel standing right in front of her, looking down at her with amusement. She cowered at the sight of him. How could he be here? She didn't see him come in, how in the world could she not notice him? However, somewhere within her shattered mind, she knew he wasn't real and yet her mind wasn't allowing her to break free, but to continue suffering at the hands of a shadow that wants to destroy her.

"No one will save you. And no one wants to," Gabriel whispered as Marinette continued to cry and glare at him.

"Shut it! I don't want to hear it! Especially not from you!"

"Only your heart is hollow enough from the loneliness to be a demon's..."

"Shut up! I'm sick of your nonsense! Give me back my heart that you stole from me!"

"You will fail to protect your children, and you will drown in your failure as a second rate mother..."

"Just stop! Please... You've done enough Gabriel, why do you continue this cycle of suffering?"

"Is there any point of continuing this fight against me, when you know that there is no hope for you returning to the life you had before?"

"PLEASE! STOP! Please... Just... disappear!" Marinette continued to cry and sob as she faintly sensed someone shaking her but she couldn't shake away the despair that was infecting her mind.

"She's having a PTSD hallucination...Mom! Please! Snap out of it! He isn't here! MOM!"

"Maman! Please stop crying! Why isn't she stopping!?"

"Maman! She's not listening! Her eyes! They're so clouded and distant!"

"Marinette! Girl! Snap out of it! She's not listening and she keeps mumbling these phrases: "No one will save you. And no one wants to." That's... girl, what happened to you? To think these things?"

"No one will save me... and no one wants to... Seems fair, for a liar who's at the end of the line..." Marinette repeated the line and felt an even greater sense of despair and depressing complacency, "No one... wants to save me..." Marinette felt more tears flowing from her eyes as she felt a wave of cold blood wash through her body. She felt so incredibly cold and icy inside, it was almost as if she had no heart. Was the love she had for her kids fake? How could she love if she doesn't even have a heart to begin with? Suddenly, Marinette felt herself get pulled into something warm and she heard a soft but warm thumping reverberate through her ears. A heartbeat. She felt someone's hands wrap around her head and press her firmly against his firm chest. She couldn't stop shaking but another arm wrapped around her waist and steadied her. All she could hear was the heartbeat and she slowly felt her darkness drip away. It was so warm, and so full of life, it was such a stark contrast to her own barely functioning heart. The images that were playing slowly faded from her mind and her mind was filled with a warmth that had so much love. She felt her arms wrap around whoever it was and cried into his shoulder. She kept listening to his heart and she lifted her head slightly while sobbing to meet a pair of extremely worried emerald green eyes.

"Mari! Are you ok?" Adrien asked softly as he held her closer and Marinette, who still could barely register him, continued to cry into his shoulder.

"No one... can save me... and no one wants to..." Marinette whispered as she felt Adrien tense and used one of his hands to tilt her chin up to look at him. He looked into her tearful eyes, as if he was searching for some sort of answer.

"That's not true, I made a promise to myself and to you the day I read those letters," Adrien argued gently as Marinette sobbed and looked back at him disbelievingly.

"I will save you... and no one will harm you, not when I'm alive."

"Adrien..." Marinette whispered as she felt her breathing calm and she sucked in a huge breath and sighed. She then three body masses tackle the pair in a hug and she smiled at three familiar heads of hair.

"Mom! You're ok! You kept crying and saying these weird sentences, I couldn't do anything!" Louis snuggled into Marinette's neck as she turned her head to plant a kiss in his hair.

"I know, I'm sorry... for everything, you have a mom who's haunted by the past with every step, I'm not strong enough... and I'm sorry for that..." Marinette whispered into his hair as she heard Hugo interject.

"That's not true Maman, you are strong, strong enough to ward away the source of your fears from us for our whole lives, you aren't going to lose," Hugo smiled as Emma nodded and snuggled into their mom.

"Yeah, that lady is totally whack, she said the meanest things when they're not even true! My Maman's not a liar and she is the kindest and best mom ever!" Emma giggled as Marinette giggled back and planted a kiss in her and Hugo's hair.

"Thank you, you three, truly... It's just... this feeling of memories haunting me... the PTSD, it's hard to ignore it when someone triggers it. I'm sorry," Marinette explained and wiped another tear from her eye as Adrien frowned and tilted her head up to meet his eyes again.

"Marinette... I'll always believe you, you may be different after 15 years... I know... but I know that you would never lie to me. I really do want to help you get rid of the despair clouding your mind," Adrien whispered as Marinette nodded and rested her head on his shoulder. They were both at peace that way. Seeing her like that... it was... bone chilling. Hearing her screams and cries, he never wanted to hear them again, but one way or another, he was going to hear them again. Everyone else gathered around to make sure Marinette was ok, except for Lila as she stood in the back in shock from the events she triggered. Lila unknowingly smiled and chuckled from the ordeal. Lila then walked back through the crowd and got Adrien's attention

"Hey Adrien, I heard you were engaged, but you know, since your fiancee isn't here, I figured she isn't exclusive," Lila suggested as Adrien pulled his most disgusted face and Louis felt himself seeth. Marinette, who regained a lot of her consciousness back, narrowed her eyes at Lila and had to think of something fast to get Lila to back off. Marinette then moved up next to Adrien's ear and whispered.

"Follow my lead on this, I got a plan," Marinette whispered as Adrien nodded and Marinette cleared her throat.

"So you say that his fiancee isn't here, but what if I'm telling you to back off now because I AM his fiancee!" Marinette yelled, causing everyone to gasp. Alya was surprised that she would actually say that out loud, but she knew what Marinette was doing and she passed it on to everyone else so they would also play along.

"What? I don't see a ring Marinette, are you seriously lying right now in the face of everyone here? I know you're hiding your hand so I don't see your ring finger," Lila asked as Marinette faked a gasp and Adrien responded in anger.

"I don't exactly appreciate you saying that to my fiancee Lila," Adrien argued back with Lila taking a step back in shock and glared at the pair who was smirking at her. Louis then decided to go the extra mile much to Marinette's shock.

"Hey, if you're gonna keep bad mouthing my parents like that, then I politely suggest you leave since you did cause my mom to have a PTSD attack," Louis said with an almost innocent like tone. Everyone then looked at Lila with an accusing look and Lila gaped at everyone and at the group on the ground.

"So can you please leave Maman and Daddy alone?" Emma asked innocently as she stood up to stand next to Adrien and pull her adorable pleading face. Lila and everyone except for Chloe, Alya, and Nino were then caught off guard by how Emma looked so much like his daughter when she put her adorable face next to his. Hugo and Louis then joined in by putting both of their faces with Adrien's to seal the deal that they were Adrien and Marinette's kids. Louis was smiling with his chin resting on top of Adrien and Hugo was happily sitting in Adrien's lap with his head right below Adrien's chin and Marinette moved so she was on the right side of his head.

"UGH! I honestly cannot believe you Marinette, but I'll concede the fact that these kids are Adrien's, but don't think this is over, I don't know how, but I will destroy your life again and trust me, this... I don't what this is, will be a decision you will regret, and I will make sure of it," Lila growled at the family, who glared back. Marinette then sighed and stood up to face her at eye level again.

"Lila... I honestly thought we were past this high school grudge, but it's clear we aren't. However, I would die before I let you ruin my kids' lives. You can break me however you want but you will not, and I repeat, WILL NOT touch my kids. And I'm going to leave you with one last thought..." Marinette coldly replied as she took in a harsh breath, closed her eyes, and looked at Lila again with a regretful yet icy, faraway look in her eyes, "You can't destroy my life Lila, you can't break what's already broken."

Lila gasped slightly as Adrien looked at her sadly as he took in her words. Alya then tapped on Lila's shoulders and gestured to the door.

"I don't think you're welcome here anymore Lila, I'd like to ask you to please leave," Alya asked as Lila scoffed indignantly and looked all around the room at accusing faces. When she landed again on Adrien and kids, she gritted teeth and with one last huff, turned around and left, leaving a harsh chime of the bell on the way out. Marinette sighed as she was hugged by Alya again and heard Alya sniff into her shoulder.

"I'm sorry Marinette..."

"For what Alya? You didn't do anything wrong..."

"For activating your PTSD even further by saying one of the lines you said when you were having your PTSD attack.."

"No it's fine, you didn't know-"

"But I still felt like I was responsible for making it worse, call me if you need anything girl, ok?" Alya asked as Marinette nodded.

"Ok. Thanks Alya." Marinette said as Alya went to go talk with Nino, Rose, and Juleka. She then felt a warm presence behind her and she turned around to see a smiling Adrien breath a sigh of relief.

"Oh Adrien! I'm sorry I made you play along with the fact that I was your fiancee, I know you're with Kagami and it was the only way to get Lila to leave you alone. I didn't know that the kids were gonna go the extra mile and sell it even further by telling her that you're their father. I guess they thought since they share so many of your characteristics, they thought they could pass it off, and it worked too. I hope you aren't at me or them for that matter for trying to pass themselves off as your children, since you really hate them passing themselves off as your kids considering what happened last time and I-" Marinette continued but she was cut off with Adrien putting a finger to her lips and chuckling.

"You're rambling Marinette," Adrien gently whispered as Marinette blushed slightly, even after all these years, he still found it adorable, "It's really alright Marinette, I know you were just trying to help me. Also, I wanted to clarify this with you," Adrien sighed as he put his hands on her shoulders and smiled at Marinette, "I don't hate that Louis, Hugo, and Emma were trying to pass themselves off as my kids. I was only surprised last time and I only got mad at you. But you told me it was a joke, so it's ok. However, even though they aren't my kids, I love spending time with them and getting to know them. I know everyone else's kids well enough, but I really do want to get to know your kids and be someone they can be proud of since they don't have a father. There's something about them that I find so special and the last thing I want is for you to think that I hate them when I actually adore them. Marinette... I promise, I'll always believe you and when you're ready, tell me everything about what happened and I will save you. I promise."

"When I'm ready?" Marinette asked tearfully as Adrien raised his hand to her face to rub a stray tear away from her cheek. She felt her heart melt even more than it has already and she knew that she still loved him and her love for Adrien has just gotten stronger over 15 years. However, just knowing that he is there with her makes her feel all the more better and that's enough for her.

"Yeah, whenever you're ready."

"Thank you..." Marinette happily said as Adrien felt himself blush at the melody of her voice. Louis, Hugo, and Emma then joined their mom and laughed together as Adrien looked at Marinette's hand and his eyes widened at what he saw on her wrist: the bracelet he gave her for her 15th birthday 18 years ago. She still wore it... Adrien looked warmly again at her and while he was staring, Nino wrapped an arm around Adrien's shoulders and caught up with him again. However, Adrien knew one thing was clear: Their bond was absolutely unbreakable and the fact that they both still have their lucky charms proves it and also... He was still in love with Marinette and his heart always belonged to her.


	13. Chapter12:AllItTakesisaLittleBonding

I don't know what is with me and Christmas chapters, but I love writing them. Anyway! I started this chapter literally the day before Christmas Eve so how could I not? I hope you guys enjoy the story so far and I hope you continue to comment and read through the story!

New Author's note: Hey guys! SnivyLord here and I wanted to tell you guys that I had a lot of these chapters prewritten so you guys are gonna see a lot of chapters up until Chapter 24, so enjoy reading until then. I really love writing Christmas chapters and I hope you enjoy this chapter and the next because they are both Christmas themed and has enough drama and fluff to satisfy you guys! Enjoy!

"Oh my god Hugo! It's only a day until Christmas Eve!" Emma cheered as Hugo smiled warmly at her and put on his red beanie with a white tuff on top. Hugo always looked forward to Christmas, it was a day where he gets to see Maman smile for the whole day before either frowning from work or crying occasionally in her room the day after. He and Emma were busy finishing the rest of the decorations on the Christmas tree they had in the living room. The family usually decorated for Christmas late since they like using Christmas lights and can't afford to pay a huge electric bill.

"Yep, the most magical time of year," Hugo agreed as he put a particularly beautiful silver and gold ornament with a fancy design on the tree. Louis then came down the stairs with a huge smile on his face and hugged Marinette, who was in the kitchen.

"Good morning Louis, nice sweater!" Marinette commented as Louis held out his dark blue Kingdom Hearts Christmas sweater.

"This is possibly the coolest sweater ever! I am so ready for Christmas!" Louis cheered as he ran over to Hugo and Emma and held out his hands for a high five which they took gladly. Marinette then came over to where they were and helped her kids with the rest of the Christmas decorations. They did have other decorations to put up but they'd save that for later. Marinette then turned on the portable bluetooth speaker she had on top of the fireplace and blasted "Underneath the Tree" by Kelly Clarkson all throughout the house. It was also this time of year where they could all sing to Christmas songs they want.

"You're here where you should be!" Marinette started as the kids sang along, they've done this enough times to know this song by heart.

"Snow is falling as the carolers sing!" Louis sang as he danced with his family, shuffling in his dark blue pj bottoms.

"It just wasn't the same!" Hugo and Emma sang together in unison with Kelly.

"Alone on Christmas Day!" All of them sang together as one.

"Presents! What a beautiful sight!" Emma sang and Louis continued.

"Don't mean a thing if you ain't holding me tight!" Louis sang as he hugged Emma and spun her around with her shrieking in joy.

"You're all that I need!" Marinette harmoniously continued and everyone joined in on the next line, creating a harmonious air throughout the house.

"Underneath the tree!" The family sang together as they laughed and continued to set up Christmas decorations around the apartment while singing the rest of the song. During their performance, Louis heard a knock on the door and he opened it while singing to find Alya, Adrien, Nino, and Kagami smiling on the other side.

"Then! One day," Louis started and Marinette, Hugo, and Emma chimed in with Kelly, "EVERYTHING CHANGED! You're all I need! Underneath the tree!" Marinette, Hugo, and Emma sang as Louis invited them in while singing. The group were a little bit in awe for the Christmas cheer that was in the air and all over the walls. There were wreaths, bundles of poinsettia, and Christmas lights strung around the house. Their Christmas tree was beautiful, with sparkling golden and silver lights around the tree with matching ornaments with red thrown in there.

"Wow, you guys really like to have fun here," Alya smirked as Marinette giggled and then she made eye contact with Kagami. For some reason, it all went quiet and the music even died down. Marinette and Kagami just looked at each other with an expression that couldn't be read. It only makes sense, but there seems to be tension that shouldn't even necessarily be there, but it was there nonetheless. Adrien looked between the two with slight fear but he wasn't afraid. Louis, Hugo, and Emma looked at Kagami with slight contempt as they knew who she was.

"Hello Kagami, it's been quite a while, I heard about your guy's engagement, congratulations, you have my best wishes," Marinette said calmly as she slowly felt her heart split in two as Kagami cracked a slight smile and nodded back at her.

"Same to you Marinette, I hope you've been well, it's great to see you after all these years," Kagami said as the group made themselves at home and Marinette nodded. Kagami still kept the same look after all these years, the same weird bob haircut, but she wears a three piece suit instead of her two piece suit with a skirt. Alya looked sadly at the kids since it must be hard for them to hear. Louis forced on a smile and went into the kitchen where he found his mom's in progress Christmas cookies.

"She didn't finish them?" Louis mumbled to himself before grabbing a rolling pin and flattening out the dough. Louis looked up slightly and saw the Dupain-Cheng recipe book opened to a page, "this must have been the cookies she was working on, at least this is keeping Adrien and Kagami off my mind.." Louis mumbled before he was snapped out of his thoughts by his sister.

"You're bothered too Louis? You know, I can't help but think how Maman could have been the one in that lady's shoes," Emma commented sadly as she washed her hands and poured some powdered sugar into a bowl along with some food coloring on the side, "I'll make the royal icing." Emma said as the siblings were interrupted by Hugo.

"Then... that makes three of us, I can't stand being in that room...watching them is too painful," Hugo whispered as he reached over to the stand mixer to plug it in, but he couldn't reach. Louis then reached over and plugged it in for him with the two sharing a smile, "thanks Louis, I'm gonna get Maman's cupcakes out from the oven and I'm gonna make some Swiss buttercream for the specific Christmas tree cupcake she had planned..." Hugo said with a depressed undertone.

"Don't worry you guys, we just need to drown our depression in Christmas cheer, and pray that the Christmas cheer crowds out the sadness," Louis reassured the two while Emma pouted while she was mixing the royal icing mixture.

"How are we gonna to do that when we have a constant reminder that Mr. Agreste is married shoved right into our faces?" Emma asked as Hugo nodded and added to the notion of how difficult drowning their sadness would be.

"It doesn't exactly help matters knowing that Maman has PTSD and Mr. Agreste is engaged. You know... I would like to say that he's with the wrong person, but I can't judge," Hugo commented as he brought the tray of cupcakes out from from the oven and stuck a toothpick in each one. Louis frowned as he did agree with Hugo. He knew that Adrien was with the wrong person but he didn't have the heart to say it to him because it wasn't in their place to judge.

"He is with the wrong person, and I feel like Adrien knows that as well. However, we can't outright tell him that and he won't admit it so there's not really much we can do," Louis replied as he got out the Christmas themed cookie cutters and with his siblings, they cut out what they could and set the cookies into the oven. They soon saw Marinette walk into the kitchen with a complacent smile on her face.

"Hey you three, are you guys finishing up the Christmas themed pastries? I could have done them myself you know," Marinette asked as Hugo finished setting the temperature for the cookies and Emma set the royal icing mixture aside.

"It's not a problem Maman! We wanted to do them for you!" Emma chirped as Louis and Hugo hummed happily as they finished the buttercream together. Suddenly, as Hugo was turning around, his elbow changed the stand mixer setting to high and the stand mixer started to mix the buttercream like it was on steroids.

"AHHH! The mixer!" Louis exclaimed as he attempted to put the setting back to medium but the lever was stuck and buttercream started flying out of the bowl, "Mom! Can you help me set this back to medium speed?!" Louis called out as Marinette turned around from watching the cookies bake. Marinette's eyes widened and immediately rushed over to forcefully pull it back to medium. With both their forces, they finally got the lever to move and when the family looked at each other, their faces were lightly caked with buttercream. None of them said anything for a moment before laughing hysterically and clutching their stomachs in laughter.

"Oh Louis! You have buttercream all over your face!" Marinette giggled and tried to hold in her laughter as Louis swiped a bit of buttercream off his face and tasted it.

"Hmm... at least it tastes good Hugo," Louis commented as Hugo laughed and tasted it himself.

"You're right, we did good Louis," Hugo smacked his lips and the two brothers shared a grin. Marinette and Emma continued to laugh as Adrien and Alya came up behind them.

"You guys didn't tell us you were holding the party in here," Alya chuckled as she looked at the state of the four. Adrien found it extremely cute as Marinette continued to wipe buttercream off her daughter's face and both of them tasting it together.

"I think you've outdone yourselves boys, this is good buttercream!" Marinette exclaimed as Louis and Hugo's eyes shone with pride as they high-fived each other. Adrien noticed that she still had a little buttercream left on her nose, and he didn't know what possessed him to lean closer but he did without hesitation.

"Wait Mari, you got a little on your nose," Adrien said as he used one of his fingers to swipe the glob of buttercream off her nose and taste it himself with a light smack of the lips, "Mari's right Louis, this buttercream really is good, bravo." Marinette felt herself blush slightly at Adrien's gesture and it only took a couple of seconds for Adrien to realize it himself and glance at her awkwardly with a slight blush. Alya looked at them with a smirk as she witnessed everything that transpired and so did the kids.

"Hehe... thanks Adrien, for the kind words, I think the cookies should be out soon and when we're done cooking the rest of the treats, we'll bring them over to Chloe's hotel tomorrow on Christmas Eve," Marinette struggled to say as Adrien nervously chuckled and nodded. Louis almost reached for popcorn but realized he didn't have any as he watched this whole thing play out. Marinette coughed and she and Alya went back into the room to keep Nino and Kagami. Adrien stayed in the kitchen and watched as the cheery mood in the air pick up as the kids went back to working on the desserts. Adrien walked over to where the recipe book was and looked at the desserts that they were making. He noticed that they were literally making every single pastry and dessert in the Christmas section of the Dupain-Cheng book.

"Ummm... guys, you think you can do all of this by tomorrow?" Adrien asked as he got a response from the other side of the kitchen.

"Oh course we can, but if you want to help make this process a little easier, then go ahead, there's a spare apron on the coat rack right outside the kitchen," Louis called out as Adrien headed right outside the kitchen and found the spare apron he was talking about. Adrien then brought the apron strap over his head and tied the two apron strings behind his back. Emma giggled as he came back in.

"That apron really does look cute on you Mr. Agreste," Emma commented as Adrien huffed playfully and washed his hands. He then rolled up his sleeves and turned to Louis who smiled warmly at him.

"Alright Louis, what can I help on first?" Adrien asked as Louis put his finger to his lip and looked around the kitchen as the three worked like a well oiled machine. He had to think of Adrien like a gear: where could he put Adrien so that the machine doesn't get jammed up or malfunction the entire operation. Finally, Louis figured it out.

"Hey Adrien, are you any good at decorating cookies and cupcakes and things of the like?" Louis asked curiously as Adrien cocked his head to the side slightly.

"I mean... if you gave a picture of what to decorate, I could probably recreate it pretty well," Adrien replied as Louis was deep in thought before smacking his head in a revelation.

"Wait, I could just teach you to decorate them correctly duh, ok Adrien," Louis instructed Adrien as he made his way over to the counter with the freshly baked cookies and cupcakes. Adrien picked up a piping bag that Louis had prepared and Louis continued.

"Alright, for the snowmen cupcakes, you have to put a dollop of buttercream, let it set, put a smaller dollop of buttercream, and so on. Each snowman as you know have three parts to its body, so make every dollop smaller than the last. This is pretty much self explanatory, I don't even need to explain the specifics to you. We'll handle the face, arms, and fondant scarf later ok?" Louis explained as Adrien processed everything and saluted jokingly to Louis, who smiled.

"Aye aye captain," Adrien joked as Louis smiled and got to work with him, starting with the snowmen. Adrien actually did pretty well as Louis reminded only from time to time if he messed up. Hugo and Emma were not the only ones to notice this change in Adrien's mood as Marinette kept an eye on them from the living room and knowingly smiled at the bonding time Adrien got to have with the kids. Turns out, Adrien and the gang were only visiting before Christmas before they went out to go Christmas shopping. Adrien managed to help a lot with the Christmas treats, and though he was reluctant to go, he was forced to by Alya and Kagami.

"See you on Christmas Eve Marinette," Adrien murmured as Marinette accompanied him to the door and saw him out.

"See you Adrien," Marinette replied happily as Louis, Hugo, and Emma happily came up behind her and waved good bye.

"See ya Adrien! Thanks again for helping us with the Christmas treats, we still have some more to bake but we'll get them done sooner thanks to you!" Louis said as Adrien grinned and stuck his hands in his coat pockets.

"Bye bye Mister Agreste!" Emma chirped as Hugo added to the harmony of voices.

"Merry Christmas Eve's Eve!" Hugo added as his family looked at him with a confused expression with Adrien letting out a small laugh before winking at him.

"Merry Christmas Eve's Eve to you too," Adrien replied before he left with the rest of the group. Marinette sighed before closing the door and ushering them all back into the kitchen.

"Alright kids! It's time to finish baking!"

"Yeah!"

A day passed after that, and it was Christmas Eve. Chloe thought to have the party the day before so they could count down to Christmas and spend the next day with their families. Marinette and her family had been invited and Marinette was rushing on Christmas Eve through a mild blizzard in Paris to get her last minute gifts. Marinette bustled through the streets with a multitude of bags in tow, she had managed to gather gifts for everyone but... you guessed it! Adrien. She doesn't know how but it happens every year right up until she disappeared for 15 years, she doesn't know what to get him and then miraculously, she ends up getting him the perfect thing. She just wonders if she can pull it off this year.

"Hnrrrgh... This happens EVERY YEAR! I could never figure out what to get him until the last minute!" Marinette exclaimed exasperatedly as she fidgets with her charm bracelet on her wrist. She still wore it of course, but thoughts keep flying through her head like: Does this bracelet still have any luck left in it? Continuing on through the blizzard, she managed to make it to the Arc de Triomphe and the giant Christmas tree planted there and she stopped to think as other last minute shoppers bustled by, "Let's see... what do I get for Adrien after 15 years of being completely out of touch?"

Marinette wondered to herself before a voice as cold as the blizzard broke her out of her thoughts, almost making her silver scarf adorned with silk snowflakes scatter in the wind from the shock.

"May I suggest giving him the slip, the same way you did 15 years ago?" Marinette whipped around to see Gabriel standing right behind her with his back turned to her. Marinette stepped back a couple of steps from the fear she felt in his presence.

"Gabriel! What.. are you doing here? What do you want?" Marinette said slowly with a fearful tone quickly rising in her throat. She swore she felt the blizzard pick up and blow harder when he spoke.

"I just wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas Eve, after all, it's all I can do for the mother of my grandchildren," Gabriel lowly said as Marinette grit her teeth and glared at him through the blizzard. Her confidence was somehow returning, at least for an instance anyway.

"You don't get to call them that, especially when you tried to get all three of them killed!" Marinette whispered harshly through the blizzard, barely making out his figure in the flurry of snow.

"And I don't get to call you my daughter in law, alas we don't always get the things we want," Gabriel replied as Marinette scoffed and stomped her foot down.

"And whose fault is that?"

"Hmph, don't forget that your son was the one who attacked me and pressed the button to launch the hospital chair forward... almost killing you and your twins."

"One, he attacked you since you were gonna take his siblings and two, you kicked him into the button and almost killed a 6 year old boy!" Marinette angrily justified as Gabriel finally turned his head to look at her and she stared back at him, through blizzard and all, "However, it's the Christmas season, and I really don't want to have this conversation with you, especially today."

"You really think I'm going to let you relax because it happens to be Christmas Eve?" Gabriel asked as Marinette felt a growing pit drop into her stomach.

"Hmph, I knew it. Why should I expect you to care about the one holiday where the entire purpose of it is to not go around threatening people like a creep and come off as a total jackass?" Marinette glared at him as she held her presents closer to her body. Gabriel laughed as he turned around to face her and in all honesty, she wished he didn't.

"Even I'm not that cruel, but I do wish you a happy holidays considering what's waiting for you in the shadows that haunt you. You may be safe for the next two days at best, but remember: No one can save you, and no one wants to... good day to you," Gabriel replied as with a blink of Marinette's eyes, he vanished. Marinette stood there in the cold as she processed what he said, it's that same foreboding sentence that keeps haunting her over and over. She knows she dug herself a hole too deep to get out of, but she hopes at least, she can save her children from falling with her.

"No one can save me... and no one wants to... but that's ok... because it's not me who needs saving... it's Louis, Hugo, and Emma. They don't deserve this, not in the slightest. My power alone is not enough to keep them away, but it's not a matter of whether I can... but a matter of I have no choice but to," Marinette convinced herself as she steadily calmed herself down from triggering another attack and continued into the blizzard... alone.


	14. Chapter13:AColdChristmas

Marinette fixed the snug beanie on her head before continuing to gather the rest of the presents on her list. When she came home, she opened the apartment to find it empty. Slightly cautious, Marinette stepped inside and found a note left on the dinner table:

Hey Mom! I took Hugo and Emma out for some last minute Christmas shopping, we'll make our way to Mrs. Bourgeois's hotel to meet you later.

~Louis

"Out Christmas shopping? I wonder what he's buying? Although... it's not really safe out in the streets right now with Gabriel on the loose," Marinette thought to herself as she held a curled finger to her lip, "I mean... he's responsible enough to watch them right? They're good kids, they won't tire out their older brother too quickly... even though he's only 14, he's forced to act more mature for his age considering the things he's been through. I trust him... although I can't say I have all my faith in him, I trust him enough to not freak out about it." Marinette sighed before grabbing some spare wrapping paper out from her closet and wrapping the gifts she bought with Adrien's gift flitting around in her mind.

Elsewhere in the Christmas decked streets of Paris...

"You know... it'd be nice to know what Maman wanted before coming out here in this blizzard to buy her gift," Hugo sucked in a cold breath as he brought his Christmas tree themed mittens up to his mouth and blew hot air to warm himself up.

"I think I have an idea for what would be a good gift," Emma suggested as her brothers looked at her with interest as she pointed to a jewelry store across the street that they could barely see. Louis nodded slowly, but he was still confused.

"A piece of jewelry?" Louis asked as Emma smirked and snapped her fingers.

"Not just any piece of jewelry, but birthstone earrings!" Emma replied proudly as Hugo and Louis looked at her in amazement.

"That's an amazing idea! Alright, guys, hold my hands as we cross the street," Louis replied as his siblings nodded and held his hands as they all crossed the street together and into the store, shaking off the ice and snow before they came in.

"Alright, Maman's birthstone is a ruby since she's born in July," Hugo explained to Louis and Emma as a quiet employee bowed to them.

"Really? I thought it was onyx?" Emma wondered aloud as Hugo looked at her questioningly and Louis whipped out his phone and googled it. (A/N: Ok! I actually have no idea when is Marinette's birthday but since her earrings are either black or red in the tv series, I picked the month that had both a red and black gemstone as its birthstone: July. It has both ruby and onyx but ruby is more widely accepted so yeah... so don't @ me at that)

"Well you guys are both right, July has ruby and/or onyx as it's birthstone. However, I think she'd like ruby a lot better," Louis said as he read the gemstones off his phone. Hugo and Emma nodded and they continued into the store to find the birthstone jewelry displays. As they approached one of the displays, an employee greeted them.

"Hello, may I be of service to your shopping today?" The employee asked as Hugo spoke for the group.

"Yes, we're looking for birthstone jewelry, do you happen to have any displays in here?" Hugo asked as the employee nodded happily and gestured her hand further down the displays.

"Yes we do, if you would follow me..." the employee said as the three followed her further down the aisle and they stopped at a display that was full of colorful jewelry, shining with the sparkles of every color of the month, "now, there are special fusion birthstone jewelry where we take two birthstones that are associated with the same month and incorporate them into the same jewelry." The three siblings gasped as they all had the same thought: is there a ruby/onyx fusion birthstone jewelry?

"Mademoiselle, do you happen to have ruby and onyx fusion earrings?" Louis asked hopefully as the lady nodded and took out a set of said earrings from the display box and set it in front of them. There were three in total. Louis, Hugo, and Emma looked at them all in awe as they looked from one to the other. In the light, they had a brilliant red shine with a blackish ring of light around them. One of them was in the shape of a heart with an onyx center and ruby all around it. The second was a supposedly an onyx earring in the shape of a circle but when you shine it under a bright light, it sparkles like a ruby. The third was a diamond shaped earring where one earring was ruby and the other was onyx.

"Which one do you think Maman would like?" Hugo asked as Louis and Emma shrugged and looked closely at all of them.

"We have to pick one quickly since we have to meet up with the others at the Bourgeois hotel," Louis warned as the siblings flickered their eyes from one to the other. Then, Emma thought to ask a smart question.

"Miss, umm... which one is the least expensive?" Emma asked as the lady pointed to the circle earrings and Louis and Hugo nodded in agreement.

"How much are the earrings?" Louis asked as the three fished out all the money they stole from their own savings. The lady looked at them sweetly before answering.

"Huit cent cinquante euros," The lady replied curtly as Louis felt the color drain from his face.

"850 euros? You're kidding right? That's the least expensive earrings of the bunch?" Louis asked incredulously as the lady nodded curtly, "Do you guys happen to have a coupon?" Louis nervously asked his siblings as Emma shook her head and Hugo looked triumphantly at him.

"I happened to save this coupon for this very predicament!" Hugo smirked as he fished out his coupon from his jacket and Emma eyed it suspiciously.

"Wait, Hugo, let me see that..." Emma asked as he handed the coupon over to her and she immediately frowned upon looking at it, "ummmmm Hugo? This expired two months ago." Louis face palmed and looked worryingly at the earrings.

"Really? Are you kidding? Why!" Hugo exclaimed exasperatedly as he swiped his coupon back and fished out another one, which Emma inspected.

"Oh my god, this one expires today!" Emma exclaimed as Hugo gasped in shock and amazement and handed it to the lady.

"Ahh.. a 50% off coupon, alright, you're going with the circle earrings correct?" The lady asked as the three nodded and she guided them and the earring box over to the cash register and scanned the coupon, "Alright... that will be quatre cent vingt cinq euros."

Louis frowned slightly as he collected all their savings and it added up to 500 euros, "Hmmm... 425 euros right? Ok, here you go Mademoiselle." Louis handed the payment to the lady, who registered it into the machine and him back 75 euros.

"Thank you, I'll wrap up the gift for you, may I ask who these earrings are for?" The lady asked as the trio smiled wide.

"It's for our mom!" Louis answered warmly as the lady smiled graciously handed them a small bag with the earrings inside.

"What a thoughtful gift, your mother is sure to love it, Happy Holidays!" The lady called out to them as they left and they turned back to reciprocate the farewell.

"Happy holidays and best wishes to you!" The trio called back as they stepped back out into the chilling, blustery blizzard.

"Ok... now does anyone remember the way to the Bourgeois hotel?" Emma asked as she stepped closer to Louis and shielded her eyes from the snow, "Hugo? You have the best memory out of the three of us, you remember the way from here?"

"Can't argue with that..." Louis agreed begrudgingly.

"Hmmm... no... I never really committed the way to the hotel to memory since Maman hates Madame Bourgeois anyway..." Hugo replied as Emma groaned and wiped the snow from her eyes. Louis sighed as he looked up and down the street. Suddenly, a blond mop of hair caught his eye and he looked closer and immediately smiled. Looking further, he saw a blue haired woman by his side and he frowned slightly.

"Hey, isn't that Dad?" Louis asked as Hugo and Emma excitedly looked in his direction and squealed.

"Oh my god! That is Daddy!" Emma exclaimed as pulled on Louis' arm and led him to the pair in question. Hugo followed right beside them as he immediately noticed Kagami and sighed.

"He would most likely know where the hotel is," Hugo mumbled as he followed his siblings to Adrien, who turned around when he heard a call of his name. Adrien immediately smiled when he saw the three and he came up to them.

"Louis! Hugo! Emma! What are you guys doing out here!?"Adrien asked cheerfully as Kagami eyed them indifferently as Hugo lifted their gift bag.

"We were out Christmas shopping and we were supposed to meet up with our mom later at the Bourgeois hotel, but we kinda don't know where it is..." Louis scratched his neck nervously as Adrien looked at him in understanding. Adrien then turned around and calculated the distance in his head since they were also just heading there too.

"Well... it's pretty far from here, it won't do to walk, how about I give you guys a ride?" Adrien asked as Louis looked to his siblings.

"What do you guys think?" Louis asked as Hugo and Emma immediately gave him an answer.

"YES!"

"Alright then, my car's this way, come along then," Adrien gestured for them to come along as the three bounded in step with Adrien and Kagami and continued to their car. As they walked further down the street, Hugo felt a weird disturbance when he was holding the gift bag and he looked down at it to find that the case holding the earrings were gone. Hugo looked behind him and caught a glimpse of a man who slipped the case into his pocket. Narrowing his eyes at the man, he sprinted back, causing the group to look back at him in confusion.

"COME BACK HERE YOU THIEF!" Hugo yelled as he sprinted up to the thief and launched himself onto the man's back, drawing the attention of onlookers in the street.

"GRAAAHHH!" The man yelled as Hugo combined both his hands into a combined fist and swung it down on the back of his neck, causing him to scream out in pain and fall to the floor. Hugo then slipped his hand into the man's pocket and grasped the case and stood up from the floor and held it up in victory.

"HAHA! I got it you thief!" Hugo exclaimed as he opened the case to find the earrings intact. Breathing a sigh of relief, he felt Louis and Emma's presence fill in beside him.

"Someone pickpocketed the earrings? Maybe we should be a little more careful, good thing Hugo noticed," Louis commented as the man stood up and looked at them in disgust and he stepped forward as he was about to try something until Adrien stepped in and glared at the thief.

"I would suggest you don't try anything and leave them alone before I report you to the police," Adrien warned the man before a look of fear flashed across his face and he ran off in the opposite direction. Adrien sighed before turning to the kids and Kagami.

"Alright, let's go," Adrien sighed as the group made their way to Adrien's Mercedes and drove off to the hotel. When they got there, the entire hotel was decorated with colorful lights and festive decorations and they looked in awe at everything when they stepped out of the car. Together, they walked into the hotel to find Marinette and Alya setting their presents down on the gift table.

"MAMAN!" Hugo and Emma squealed as they ran up to Marinette and hugged her. Louis followed slowly behind and the two smiled knowingly at each other.

"Kids! You're ok! Did you manage to find everything you're looking for?" Marinette asked as she eyed the gift bag in Hugo's hand. Emma immediately stepped in front of Hugo and covered for him since they secretly agreed that they wanted it to be a surprise.

"Yep, we did, however, what we bought is a secret," Emma said playfully as Marinette raised an eyebrow at her daughter.

"Is that so? I wonder who's that present for?" Marinette asked coyly as Emma giggled and Hugo set the gift bag on the table. Marinette then noticed Adrien and Kagami behind them and smiled gratefully at them.

"Did you guys take them here? Thank you so much, I was really worried about them with the blizzard out there," Marinette looked past them to find the blizzard still raging outside, she was surprised to see that the snow hasn't built up all that much.

"It's really not a problem Marinette, I found them out shopping and I offered them a ride here," Adrien smiled warmly at her as Kagami took note of the warmth and kindness she felt between them. It was cozy, but it was also sickening.

"Thank you again, you are my hero, I never would have wanted them to stay out in the blizzard that long," Marinette sighed in relief as Adrien felt his heart warm up at the fact that he is 'her hero.'

"Me neither, good thing I caught them when I did," Adrien laughed playfully as Marinette smiled at him. Suddenly, their cheery banter was cut off by Kagami, who honestly couldn't take any more of this.

"Alright, Marinette, next time, please don't leave your kids out in the middle of a blizzard because I'm pretty sure that's a red flag for bad parenting," Kagami snapped at Marinette, who looked at her in shock. Alya, Adrien, and the gang had the same look plastered on their faces.

"Ummmm... Kagami, if I may ask, what is your problem?" Marinette asked as Kagami looked coldly between her and Adrien.

"Maybe we should discuss my problem in a different location, perhaps outside?" Kagami suggested as her eyes never left Marinette. Marinette frowned as she walked past Kagami and back out into the cold so they could talk. As soon as Marinette stepped out the door onto the balcony that had a mystical view of the street with all the snow swirling around, she whipped around to face Kagami.

"Kagami, what is going on? I thought we didn't have any issue with each other! And yet you're attacking me as if you have some sort of grudge, instead of making some sort of snarky comment, talk to me like an adult. You can do that can't you?" Marinette huffed as she crossed her arms and Kagami continued to look at her piercingly.

"Honestly Marinette, don't patronize me, you know exactly what's my problem with you," Kagami said solemnly as Marinette narrowed her eyes at the clearly angry woman across from her.

"Don't assume that I know what the problem is. Please, enlighten me," Marinette said almost tauntingly as she couldn't help but let some of her sass slip out.

"It's you and Adrien, and I hate to say it but it's that feeling between you guys, like, he can't keep himself away from you after all these years," Kagami sighed as Marinette's eyes widened from slight shock.

"If you hate it, then don't say it! Kagami, there's nothing going on between us! He's already engaged to you! What could I possibly do?" Marinette asked incredulously as she felt her heart break just a little more. She hated pushing him away, she really did, but it's all for the sake of her children, or at least, that's what she keeps telling herself anyway. Marinette heard a shuffle from inside the hotel and she and Kagami looked back inside to find Adrien and her kids looking curiously at them, "Adrien, if you could please take them back inside, that would be great. They don't need to hear this."

"Mari... Kagami... is there something wrong? Did I do something?" Adrien asked as Marinette saw the confusion and hurt in his eyes. True, this conversation was about him, but he didn't need to know that.

"No, you didn't, don't worry, it's her," Kagami reassured Adrien as she looked back at Marinette coldly as the wind picked up and blew a gust of freezing air between them. Adrien looked back at Marinette, who sighed.

"If you must know Adrien, she was just concerned if we still have that emotional attachment from what we had 15 years ago," Marinette sighed as Adrien's eyes widened as he looked between Marinette and Kagami. Maybe it was because of the cold, but he felt his cheeks heat up immensely because he came to terms about his feelings as well. He just simply loved Marinette too much.

"But that's..." Adrien started but Marinette cut him off.

"Impossible, Kagami, that was 15 years ago, Adrien and I are just friends," Marinette forced out of her throat as she was pretty sure she heard Adrien's heart crack. Adrien looked at her incredulously as feelings of disbelief and anger welled up. It was just so hard to hear that the feelings she wrote to him in her letter and 15 years ago were gone. Was that how much her love was worth after all these years? Marinette was about to say something but another voice cut her off.

"That's an obvious lie and you know it Mom!" Louis shouted as Marinette looked up at him in disbelief as Hugo and Emma stood firmly with a pout on their faces, "When are you finally going to be selfish with your own feelings? You've shut yourself out of your own feelings for 15 years Mom! You refuse to cry and you refuse to be happy! Don't think that we don't know about you crying in your room every night! Stop lying please! For us!" Louis pleaded as Adrien stood there shocked from his words. Marinette... cries every night? Adrien looked back at Marinette who was staring into space with a saddened look, it looked almost wistful somehow. Finally, she spoke.

"You don't understand Louis, I'm doing this for you, and regardless of whether I'm lying or not, Kagami, I won't stand in your way, you've won... there's nothing else to say," Marinette said silently as Kagami looked at her in shock. This wasn't the Marinette from 15 years ago. She used to fight or die trying. Now she's just not even trying. Who was this person?

"Who are you?" Kagami asked as Marinette let out a laugh in the bitter cold and looked at Kagami with a heartbroken look.

"An afterthought... a memory... a relic of the past... choose any of those choices. I'm ultimately a shadow who can't be saved. Choose your battles wisely Kagami, as I have lost mine," Marinette whispered as she walked briskly back into the party, leaving the group behind to ponder on what she said. Kagami stood there shocked as Adrien was about to go after her but Louis held him back by the arm.

"Don't."

"Louis, let me go to your mother, she's..." Adrien started but Louis eyed him with a saddened look as he looked in the direction where Marinette left.

"Choose your battles wisely Da-, I mean Mr. Agreste, she gets... depressing like this often, it's hard to shake her out of it unless someone talks her into feeling better. It's usually Hugo, Emma, and I's job to do that. However, this time... it's Kagami," Louis explained as Adrien relaxed his arm and stayed put. However, when he heard Louis' next words, his heart felt incredibly warm again, just how it was when he was Marinette that night 15 years ago, "If it makes you feel better, my mom loves you so much, she was definitely lying, and if you looked close enough, you could see my mom's heart break when she said that. Her love hasn't faded, it never did, she just hid it because it became a danger to us," Louis explained as he gestured to Hugo and Emma. Adrien smiled but he also had a thought: Why did Marinette have to hide her feelings? It felt like everyone knew the answer but him. Although, he knew that the kids knew what was wrong about her, but were keeping it iron sealed for her sake.

Marinette groaned as she watched the festivities and the Christmas music rang in her ears as if there was no tomorrow. To be honest, the music wasn't making her as happy as she'd want to, but it was cheerful music nonetheless. She watched from the bar as people were laughing, talking, sharing some sort of Christmasy banter that she wished she could take part in.

"What was I thinking? I left my kids! Alone with Adrien and Kagami! And I strutted out of that conversation as if I was entitled to run away from my problems forever! I can't... I know I can't... and yet... why am I still running?" Marinette asked herself softly as she felt that same feeling of despair form a cloud over her heart, "Louis... Hugo... and Emma... forgive me... I wish I could care about myself for once... but I don't have that choice-"

"And why don't you have that choice?" Marinette heard a voice cut her out of her thoughts and she looked to her left to find Kagami sitting on the chair next to her.

"Kagami, I didn't realize you were right next to me... Kagami, look, I'm sorry about before, I didn't mean to come off as detached or cold. It's just... things changed and I'm no longer the person I used to be," Marinette sighed as she continued to look down at her hands, pondering what else she could say.

"Those kids of yours... they're Adrien's aren't they? Even your twins... I don't know how, but I can sense they're Adrien's," Kagami finally spoke as Marinette felt herself tense and relax.

"I suppose figuring that out is the easy part. Yes, all three of them are Adrien's children. They know that Adrien is their father, it's just Adrien that doesn't know," Marinette explained as Kagami immediately followed up with another question.

"Why doesn't Adrien know?"

"He can't know... for his own safety, and for the safety of my kids. The horrors that would ensue if he knew, I wish I could tell him but... no one can save me, and no one wants to... even if he tried," Marinette replied as Kagami continued to look oddly at Marinette. Marinette felt her eyes bore into her. As if she was looking into her very soul, maybe a little too much.

"Hmmm... I suppose I would be horrified too if people caught wind of the fact that I was involved in a medical malpractice resulting in an accidental insemination and a gynecologist scandal. What a shame..." Kagami smiled knowingly as Marinette immediately froze and looked at her incredulously.

"H-h-h-how do you know that?" Marinette asked slowly as Kagami looked back in front of her and replied without looking.

"Does it really matter how I know how you became eternally bonded to Adrien? All that matters now is that the safety of your kids are compromised," Kagami said lowly as Marinette felt herself grind her teeth and the sweat droplets slowly forming and making their way down her face.

"It's Gabriel isn't it? He told you when you got engaged to Adrien. That cheeky bastard... so what... are you working with him? I honestly wouldn't be surprised," Marinette asked coldly as her tone returned to the cold and calm demeanor she always took.

"Hmph, yes, he did tell me your situation when Adrien got engaged. I was pretty shocked mind you, but I didn't think you could sink any lower," Kagami chuckled as Marinette turned sharply towards Kagami and before Kagami knew it, a lightning fast hand smacked her across the face with a force that could be heard throughout the hotel. Marinette glowered at Kagami as she continued to recoil from the strength of that slap. Call it a "bitch slap" if you will.

"I have worked too hard and made too many sacrifices for you to drag my legacy through the mud. I won't listen to you continue to sully the Dupain-Cheng name. No matter how much I wish I could quit or give up, I haven't. And that's because unlike you, I have something too precious to lose. So tell me, who has really sunken lower?" Marinette asked calmly as Kagami looked at her with a mixed expression of shock and hatred. Unbeknownst to them, Marinette's kids were behind the counter, listening to every word. It did come as a shock to them that Kagami would even know such a frightening amount of their family history.

"Oh my goodness, I didn't realize that Madame Kagami is evil!" Emma whispered as Louis pressed his body against the wood underneath the counter as if he was afraid someone could notice them.

"Sometimes I feel like even the world is fighting against our family... it's only a matter of time before our family's strength will no longer be enough. Why does everyone hates us?" Hugo whispered as he held his knees to his chest and continued to stare at nothing in particular. Louis frowned at the words that came out of his brother's mouth, Hugo was pessimistic, yes, but not this downright depressing.

"Hey," Louis called out softly as Hugo turned to face him. Louis placed his hand on his brother's shoulder and smiled warmly at him, "don't doubt our family bond, the world can go take a hike if it hates us. We have each other, we have Mom, we will get through this. I promise."

"That's right, we may have been brought into this world in a pretty weird way, and we may annoy each other to pieces sometimes, but we are family and that's final. We need to find some way to get Madame Kagami away from Maman," Emma chimed in quietly as Hugo looked hopefully at them. They always knew what to say to make him feel better. That's what he loved about them.

"You guys are the best. Alright, does anyone have a plan?" Hugo asked as Louis and Emma gave him an "are you kidding?" look.

"Bro, it's usually you that comes up with the plans," Louis deadpanned as Hugo nodded and peeked over the counter to see that Marinette and Kagami were still having their epic stare down. Hugo threw thoughts around in his mind for a bit before something came to him.

"Got it! Ok, now does anyone have a disguise?" Hugo asked as his siblings shrugged and Hugo sighed as he reached behind him and pulled his hoodie hood over his head enough so they can only see his mouth. Hugo suddenly stood up, catching the attention of the women in question and shouted in a voice that was extremely different from his own even though no one could describe HOW exactly it was different.

"OH MY GOD! Is that a fencing student who is in need of assistance?! I can see the sabers poking out of his bag and everything!"

"Oh my goodness where?!" Kagami asked as Hugo pointed towards the main entrance of the hotel. Kagami nodded and made her way towards the main entrance while she took one last regretful look at Marinette. After she was gone, Marinette narrowed her eyes at Hugo before reaching her hand up and pulling his hood off.

"I thought I recognized that voice, thank you Hugo," Marinette felt her lips tug into a grin as she wrapped Hugo into a hug. Hugo hugged her back with the same vigor while Louis and Emma came out behind the counter and patted Hugo on the back.

Louis took Kagami's seat and sighed as he looked aimlessly ahead, "I dunno Mom, it seems like we're getting backed into a corner. Madame Kagami knows our family history, it's getting harder to hide it from Dad, and who knows when Gabriel will strike at this point. Sometimes, I feel like it's just a matter of time before everything blows up in our face."

"I know... I tried... honestly Louis," Marinette whispered as she felt her voice crack in a sob, "I wanted to give you guys a childhood where you didn't have to watch your backs in the fear of being killed," Hugo and Emma took the remaining seats as they listened to their mom continue to apologize, "but now I can't even do that..."

"Some Christmas party this turned out to be..." Emma grumbled as she rested her head on her arms.

"Yep... can't we just hand over the presents and be done with it?" Hugo asked as Marinette pondered it for a second before standing up.

"I guess it's time to hand out presents, let's go kids," Marinette sighed as they made their way over to the presents table and met everyone there. Marinette spotted the handsome blond mop in the crowd and Adrien immediately turned his head towards her and smiled softly at her. It was almost like he sensed exactly where she was. The handing out of the presents went smoothly, or as smoothly as it's going to get and everyone was happy about their presents. Marinette had gotten Louis a new hoodie that she made herself and he couldn't wait to put it on. The hoodie was Totoro themed and mostly green with the characters from the movie relaxing in the forest greenery. There was a blue streak running through the lower half of the hoodie since it was a river and the very top part was gray along with the hood.

"This looks so cool Mom! Merry Christmas!" Louis hugged Marinette as Marinette passed out some more presents. She got Hugo a new pair of headphones and Emma that semi-expensive doll set she always wanted.

"Cool! My old ones were broken! Thanks Maman!" Hugo smiled and fitted the headphones just right and hung them around his neck.

"OH MY GOD! I've been wanting this particular set forever! Oh thank you Maman, Merry Christmas! We actually got a present for you too!" Emma chirped happily as Louis came up to Marinette and handed her a small box that was wrapped in dainty ribbon.

"Oh you guys, you didn't have to get me anything," Marinette started but Louis had something else in mind.

"We wanted to get this for you Mom, it's our way of showing how much we appreciate how much you've done for us. And we're so proud to call ourselves your kids," Louis smiled warmly at Marinette, who placed a hand over her heart and felt her eyes tearing up. When she finally opened the box, she gasped as a pair of onyx earrings came into view and when she held them up to the light, they shone with a red brilliance.

"Oh my goodness, are these the new fusion gemstone earrings I've been hearing so much about?" Marinette clapped a hand over her mouth as other people are taking notice of her reaction. Hugo smirked as if he knew something his mom didn't.

"They're more than just gemstone earrings, they're your birthstones, ruby and onyx. Emma came up with the idea for the earrings but Louis thought we should make it more personable by including both. Do you like it Maman?" Hugo asked hopefully as Marinette wiped a tear from her eye and let out a happy yet sob laced laugh.

"You guys must have spent so much on these earrings... thank you... You three are my greatest gift, and I'm lucky to have you three, even in my darkest hour," Marinette sniffed as she drew all three of them in for a big family hug.

"It's no big deal, we had to buy you a gift for once, even if it did cost a lot," Louis commented as he smiled into his mother's shoulder as Hugo and Emma tightened the hug from the outside. The image looked perfect, from Adrien's point of view. The picture would have been more perfect if there was one more parent to fill the void. Alas, that remaining parent remains in a separate world even though that line between their worlds grow ever closer.

Marinette then finally let go of her children and went back to the table to find the last gift she had brought, which was for Adrien. She wrapped her fingers around the box and turned around to find Adrien behind her.

"Oh Adrien! You startled me," Marinette sighed as Adrien eyed her present with interest. Adrien then noticed a little tag on the ribbon that read: From Marinette, To Adrien.

"Is that present for me?" Adrien asked teasingly as Marinette fiddled with the tag before smiling.

"Yeah, it's yours, I hope you like it," Marinette sighed as Adrien took a hold of her present, touching her fingers in the process. It took Marinette a second to register the warmth of his fingers on hers and they both stared at each other for a moment before Marinette quickly brought her fingers back and flushed at the contact.

"Thank you Marinette, but I wanted to give you my present first, I really hope you like it," Adrien said warmly as he handed her gift which was wrapped in red with gold ribbon. Marinette smiled excitedly as she carefully unwrapped her gift and gasped at what was inside: a light blue knit cap with a blue and white pom pom on top. The embroidery around the hat had snowflakes and Marinette felt the material within her hands, "It's honestly nothing to what you can do, but I did spend weeks taking knitting and sewing classes so I could learn how to make it. Do you like it?"

"You took crochet and sewing classes to make this for me? Adrien, I love it! But you didn't have to," Marinette rubbed the fabric and reveled in the fact that Adrien made it for her. Adrien smirked proudly as he continued to explain.

"I made it to match the scarf you gave me for my birthday," Adrien gave her a boyish grin as Marinette hung her mouth open in surprise.

"Adrien! You remember that?!" Marinette asked incredulously.

"Of course, you let me think my father gave it to me for the longest time, it is my favorite scarf after all," Adrien smirked at her as Marinette smiled cutely back at him. Adrien could get lost in Marinette's eyes and adorable smile if he wanted to and he almost did if it weren't for Nino noticing and coughing to bring him back to reality.

"Thank you Adrien, this means so much to me," Marinette fit the cap snugly on her head and Adrien couldn't help but smile wider.

"Ummm... yeah, no problem," Adrien shook himself out of his trance as he carefully unwrapped the present. Alya, Nino, Chloe, and the rest of the gang looked on with interest as Adrien unwrapped his present and felt his breath get caught in his throat as he laid his eyes on the package inside the box. It appeared to be a photo album but what was written on the front made Adrien almost tear up: "The Two of Us Against the World."

"It's a photo album of the photos we took when we were in high school, I figured you didn't have any of the photos, so I copied them and put them all into one album so you could always have a reminder of how much we've shared together," Marinette smiled as Adrien flipped through the photo album in awe. There were pictures from Adrien's first outing with his friends, Adrien's first Christmas with his friends after his mother's disappearance, and much much more. However, one photo that happened to catch his eye was one of him hugging Marinette from behind and both of them showing their wrists to the camera, showing their matching bracelets that they got for each other.

"Hey Marinette, you remember this photo? It was us when we both noticed that we were wearing each other's lucky charm. Do you still have yours?" Adrien asked as Marinette looked at the photo with an air of wistfulness.

"Yeah, I remember, it was... so long ago. But I don't have my charm bracelet anymore," Marinette answered quickly as Adrien felt his heart sink. Why he was so prone to emotions, he had no idea, maybe he was just that compassionate of a person.

"What?" Adrien asked in disbelief as he felt anger swell up in him. He couldn't believe that she actually lost hers.

"And before you get mad at me, the reason I don't have it is because it's no longer mine," Marinette explained quickly and as if right on cue, Louis came up to them and lifted his arm to show Marinette's charm bracelet on his wrist, "I gave the charm bracelet to Louis as a birthday gift long ago."

"My mom gave this to me when I was 6, it's my greatest treasure, I hope you aren't mad about it but my mom does ask to see it from time to time. So don't worry, we didn't lose it," Louis rubbed the bell charm on the bracelet and smiled at Adrien, who breathed a sigh in relief.

"No... not at all, treasure that charm bracelet with all your heart Louis, it does bring you real luck," Adrien winked at Louis, who grinned back at him. Adrien turned back to Marinette who was looking nervously at him.

"So? Do you like your present Adrien?" Marinette asked as Adrien smiled softly at her.

"Yeah, it was exactly what I needed, thank you Marinette," Adrien replied as he stepped forward and hugged Marinette, who sighed in relief and hugged back. Alya and Nino looked at them happily, seeing those two together like that, it was everything for them. Just as Marinette was about to pull away, she felt Adrien's arms lock around her tighter.

"Adrien?"

"Do you mind if we just stayed like this for a bit? I missed this..." Adrien whispered softly into her ear. She could hear the gentleness in his voice. Marinette knowingly smiled as she nodded happily.

"Sure."

Unbeknownst to them, a familiar blue-haired figure watched as they hugged each other happily. However, it was at this point that she made up her mind about something she had been keeping in for a while now. It was something that only she could do for Adrien. Kagami sighed as she came up to them after they pulled away and whispered into Adrien's ear.

"Hey Adrien, may I please have a word with you?" Adrien looked at her questioningly before nodding.

"Sure Kagami, what do you need to talk about?"

"Perhaps we shouldn't talk about this here," Kagami looked around uncomfortably, particularly at Marinette before leading him away to a private place in the hotel.

"Alright Kagami, what did you need to talk about that required this much privacy?" Adrien asked innocently as Kagami clapped her hands together and brought it up to her lips.

"Wow... this is really hard for me to say, but ummmm... Adrien, I... think we should call off the wedding..." Kagami said carefully as Adrien took a moment to process what she said before putting on a face of horror.

"You want to call off the wedding? B-b-but why?"

"Adrien, this is really hard for me to say but I believe it is the right thing to do," Kagami tried to explain as she took a deep breath and attempted to speak again, "I feel like I'm getting in the way of the one who you truly love Adrien."

"What do you mean?"

"Grrrr, Adrien! Don't you see!? You're meant to be with Marinette! Not me!" Kagami explained frustratedly as Adrien's eyes widened before he tried to argue back but she cut him off before he could, "and before you say anything, Adrien, it was meant to be her from the beginning. Even 15 years ago, you guys were about to be together until she mysteriously disappeared. I was just a replacement your father put in place of her."

Adrien looked on at her in disbelief as he interjected back, "That's not true Kagami, I love you Kagami, you weren't just a replacement for Marinette, I can promise you-I."

"Adrien please, we both know it, the instant connection you have with Marinette is a godsend compared to what we have. You were always happier around her even when we were teens. She's it for you, and you're it for her," Kagami tried to speak through slight tears. She thought she could get through this without crying, after all she resolved to do this coldly. But she couldn't, not with Adrien.

"Kagami... are... you sure you want to do this? Is there anything I can do to change your mind somehow?" Adrien asked as Kagami shook her head.

"No... this is the right thing to do... she needs you Adrien, more than you know, don't worry about me. I'll be just fine," Kagami reassured Adrien as he took one last look at her before Kagami slipped off her ring and tried to hand it back to him, but he stopped her.

"No, I bought it for you, keep it," Adrien looked sadly at the ring as Kagami shook her head and placed the ring in Adrien's hand and curled his fingers around it.

"No... you bought it for the girl you're going to marry." Kagami breathed heavily as if that was her final sigh. That ring didn't do justice with her, it was always meant to be someone else's, and the truth came out on this Christmas Day.


	15. Chapter14:ATherapySessionwithMasterFu

Gonna be a semi short chapter but I still hope you guys enjoy the chapter because I made Master Fu into a therapist, which is fitting for him. ~ SnivyLord

"Dr. Fu, thank you for squeezing me in."

"Oh no, it's really not a problem Marinette, I'll pour a pot of tea and we can continue where we left off last time we were here," Dr. Fu nodded as he stood and went into the back to fetch a pot of tea while Marinette sat uneasily on the mat in his Chinese garden inspired office. Soon, Marinette saw Dr. Fu come back from the corner of her eye with a steaming pot of tea as he sat down on the opposite side. He poured two perfect cups of tea in those antique ornate cups from imperial times, "so last time we left off, we talked about you meeting your old flame again, is that right?"

"Yes, I believe I told you that, his name is Adrien Agreste?" Marinette said as she took a sip from her tea.

"Yes, I know very well who he is, now tell me, has it been a problem for you ever since he's reappeared back into your life?" Dr. Fu asked as Marinette scoffed and rubbed her temples in frustration.

"More trouble that it's worth, I'm risking everything that 15 long years of hiding and protecting have done for my family. They're being protected... from him... but I can't hold him off forever, he's eventually going to get to them, and it's game over," Marinette stared into the tea as Dr. Fu looked at her sadly.

"Was this the life you wanted for your children, and most importantly, yourself?" Dr. Fu asked as Marinette scoffed again and looked up at him in disbelief.

"No! Of course not, but what can I do? The life I had before? Just a relic of the past, I can't do anything to change my life because that would involve getting in Gabriel's way. It's not worth it.. trust me," Marinette replied. Dr. Fu then posed another question even though he knew full well what her answer would be.

"At this point, does Adrien know?"

"No... he can't know... because there are lives at stake if he knows. Louis, Hugo, and Emma will get themselves killed if I took my eyes off for one second if Gabriel knows that Adrien knows!" Marinette exclaimed in an almost crazed tone. Dr. Fu frowned as he thought to make a joke.

"Technically, you're in my office, taking your eyes off them for about 45 minutes now," Dr. Fu chided as Marinette raised her eyebrows at him and frowned.

"You really wanna go there?"

"Nope... anyway, it seems as if your treatment is reverting back on itself, you're getting worse again. Just when you made some progress too," Dr. Fu wrote down his findings in the records while Marinette kept staring into the tea, "Your coping mechanisms and acquiescence to this situation are no longer working. Marinette tell me, when was the last time you had the chance to use your coping mechanisms?"

Marinette sipped her tea as a thought immediately came to mind, "Oh, it was during this high school reunion, there was this woman, who kept stepping on my toes and there was just bad blood between us. However, she... triggered the memories, of everything that happened... everything I regretted. And I don't know why my coping mechanisms didn't work! It was like I didn't even try... I saw Gabriel in front of me and he's all I could see and hear, if it wasn't for Adrien, I probably would have never snapped out of it."

"I see, your trauma is extremely powerful Marinette, we both agreed that this process of healing you was going to take a long time, it's not something you can just leave in the rearview mirror," Dr. Fu said as Marinette groaned in frustration and rubbed her nose.

"I know! And that's because he's always going to be behind me! Watching me! Haunting me! Reminding me that I can't protect them forever! It's something that's on the mirror, but the windshield wipers can't reach it and it never will. Gabriel waits for no one-" Marinette said as they both heard a knock on the door and Dr. Fu quickly excused himself.

"I'm sorry Marinette, that must be my other patient who was supposed to come in today, that's why I was able to squeeze you in, you don't mind if they come in right?"

"Oh... sure, no problem," Marinette took a deep breath while she calmed herself down again.

"You can come in! I have another patient in here but it's ok!" Dr. Fu called out as the person on the other side of the door responded.

"I'm terribly sorry Dr. Fu, I just wasn't sure if I was gonna come today and I decided to after all-" The person stopped talking as he entered the room and Marinette, noticing his voice cut off, feigned a look of confusion as she turned her body around to find Adrien Agreste staring at her, cut off mid sentence. They meet in the most coincidental of places.

"Adrien!?"

"Marinette?!"

"Well this is certainly a surprise," Dr. Fu chuckled nervously as Marinette and Adrien continued to stare at each other for the next 5 minutes.

"Adrien... you go to therapy?!" Marinette asked as she finally found the strength to speak while Adrien scoffed.

"I should be asking you the same question! Who's watching your kids?!" Adrien asked as Marinette had a thought cross her mind: Adrien cared about who was watching the kids, even though he's supposedly not their father, people could care, but Adrien immediately had that fatherly instinct. It somehow made her happy inside.

"Louis is watching the twins, they've been home all morning. I haven't seen you since Christmas, how are you Adrien?" Marinette sighed as Adrien took one more longing look at her before he sat down beside her on the mat and sighed as well.

"I've been fine, I suppose," Adrien grimaced slightly as Marinette noticed his change in tone, he looked so grim and yet it's also as if there's nothing wrong at the same time.

"Alya told me that you didn't even show up for New Year's, what happened?" Marinette asked as she felt Adrien tense and narrow his eyes at the ground.

"Tch... I kinda don't want to talk about it, but I came to Dr. Fu today for a reason so... Doctor, Kagami... she broke off our engagement with me and now I just don't know what to do."

"WHAT?!" Dr. Fu and Marinette exclaimed as she thought back to that night at the Christmas party. Yes, she recalled that Kagami did call him away to talk to him privately, did she do it then?

"Oh my god, Adrien, I am so sorry," Marinette took a sharp intake of breath as she raised her hand as an attempt to pat him on the shoulder but she ultimately decided against it.

"Have you told anyone else about this?" Dr. Fu asked as Adrien sighed again and shook his head.

"No."

"W-wait... How!? Why did she break off the engagement with you?" Marinette asked as Adrien turned to look her in the eyes. His eyes seemed to be searching for something, emerald to sky blue, looking for some sort of answer in her soul. Marinette felt her breath hitch as she felt the intensity of his gaze, there was so much emotion that it almost felt suffocating.

"The same reason why I took you out on a date after your blind date extravaganza 15 years ago..." Adrien whispered as Marinette gasped and clasped a hand softly to her mouth.

"Oh my... to be with me? She gave up her engagement so you could be with me?" Marinette breathed out as she tried not to falter under his gaze, but it was impossible. Adrien nodded as Marinette let out another breath and closed her eyes in frustration, "Kagami... you idiot! You've already won, why the hell would you self-sabotage to fulfill a fantasy?"

Adrien narrowed his eyes at her as he felt anger well up in him again, he hated this feeling, "So? What? Is that what our relationship is to you? A fantasy?"

"No! Adrien, it's not like that, but we can't be together!" Marinette tried to explain but she was cut off.

"And why not?"

"I can't tell you!" Marinette replied, knowing full well what would happen if she did answer that question.

"Then what?! Is it because you don't trust me?" Adrien asked, almost yelling. He could kick himself for even suggesting that Marinette doesn't trust him.

"NO! No, I do trust you Adrien, but it's not what you think it is!" Marinette shouted back as Dr. Fu just watched. This is going extremely horribly.

"I told you I loved you, I kissed you, and I know that meant something to you," Adrien explained as he felt his voice quiver from his emotions. Marinette's expression softened as she folded her hands.

"It did..."

"Then why would you leave me like that?" Adrien asked as Marinette looked at the ground for a second before looking back up at him with tears in her eyes.

"I love you Adrien... but I can't drag you down with me..." Marinette said softly as Adrien's hardened expression immediately went away and tenderness and gentleness came in its place.

"Drag me down with you? What do you mean?" Adrien asked as Marinette sighed and took a deep breath. She was perfectly aware of the fact that she couldn't actually disclose the whole reason but she can warn him.

"Your father... I can't drag you down with me because he'll do some horrible things to us that I don't want you to be a part of..." Marinette explained as she felt herself tiptoe around the actual reason again. If she told him, then he'll definitely do some horrible things.

"M-my father? Why would he do anything to you or the kids? He has no reason to unless he doesn't want you to be with me..." Adrien laid out the info, trying to piece things together but Marinette left out one crucial puzzle piece.

"He just doesn't like me, and if you're with me Adrien, you're not safe, we're not safe, I'm sorry," Marinette quickly explained as she felt as if Adrien was going to catch on anytime now. She knew he was pretty bad at picking up on things but he had to know this.

"If he doesn't like you, but if even you are going out of way to avoid me for the sake of your kids even though I know you don't really have anything against me then... wait..." Adrien felt his gears turning in his head and the puzzle pieces coming together. When he finally fit the supposed final piece, his heart dropped, "oh my god... Marinette, are you getting blackmailed by my father to stay away from me?" Marinette pressed her lips together and didn't answer. After a couple of moments, he asked again, but firmly, "Marinette! Is my father blackmailing you?"

"It was because of what we did 15 years ago," Marinette said, barely above a whisper. Adrien felt his body enter into some strange form of anger and panic, mostly the fear and panic part, "it was my punishment, my price to pay for what we did..."

"Marinette... I- what the hell is he thinking? Blackmailing you?! Have you been suffering for 15 years under his thumb?!" Adrien asked angrily as Marinette winced at his tone, she could tell that he was also getting pissed off at the things Gabriel pulls as well.

"He called me about a month after that night after I got pregnant with Louis," Marinette explained as Adrien listened carefully. She was finally explaining things to him instead of closing herself off again, and he wanted to help her, "Remember when you discovered that I left and I left a letter behind? Within a couple of days after that, do you remember that woman that you saw who claimed to be a business partner of Gabriel's? She was wearing a black cloak?"

Adrien thought back to when he first discovered that she had disappeared, it wasn't a fun time to remember, it was the worst day of his life. However, he did remember coming home and seeing a women in a black cloak talk to him for a little bit before leaving, but how would Marinette know about that? Unless, "Yeah... I remember her, w-wait... how do you even know about her? Marinette, was that you?"

Marinette narrowed her eyes at nothing in particular before answering, "Yes."

"So you didn't tell me that was you that time either?!" Adrien exclaimed as he did remember that the woman seemed to be crying or emotionally shaken.

"I couldn't... because at that time... it was already too late, and the blackmail was dealt, there was nothing I could do.." Marinette replied solemnly, folding her hands. Dr. Fu was just sitting there, watching everything unfold. He knew how difficult it would be for Marinette to confess to Adrien everything, but he knew she was leaving out things on purpose.

"So you have been suffering for 15 years... alone... because of my father... how could he do this?" Adrien murmured as he looked at her with a gentle expression. He brought his hand up to caress her cheek, his thumb swiping over her smooth skin. He soon felt water hit his thumb as he noticed Marinette was crying and he swept that away too, "I'm sorry... for everything... I'm sorry, I... am so sorry."

"It's not your fault Adrien, of course not, it's your father, but do you actually believe me?" Marinette started but Adrien gently cut her off.

"Of course I believe you, I know you're not lying , I noticed how you are with my father, but now that I know, a lot of your interactions make sense. This is including that panic attack you had at the high school reunion. I promised you I am going to save you, and that's exactly what I'm going to do," Adrien brought her closer and hugged her, murmuring into her hair. Marinette smiled into his shoulder and cried. Adrien eventually pulled away and rested his forehead on hers, "I'm glad you told me, I'm going to get back the hope that you lost..."

"Thank you..." Marinette whispered as Dr. Fu looked approvingly between them. It seemed as if everything was coming in full circle for them. It felt like a burden was partially lifted off her heart... just partially, "But Adrien, are you seriously going to be ok?"

"Yeah... it just shook me up at first, but I think I'll be ok. I don't think it ever occurred to me but, I don't think I ever actually loved her. Maybe it was out of obligation or some sort, but the feelings I felt for her, it just wasn't real enough. For a moment in my life,I actually felt like I could be happy with Kagami, but I knew I was lying," Adrien sighed as Marinette nodded her head in understanding.

"Well, it seems like you no longer need my help," Dr. Fu smiled at the two of them. Marinette smiled and got up, dusting off her pants while Adrien stood up along with her and handed her her purse, "that is the session for today unless you have something else to talk about."

"No... that'll be all... thank you Dr. Fu."

"Not a problem Marinette... you too Adrien."

Elsewhere...

"Sir, what are you going to do?" Nathalie asked as Gabriel set down the listening device down on his desk.

"That woman always finds a way to test my patience, I had hoped to deal with her quietly, however, I suppose she must face the consequences. Nathalie, call the Mourir Brothers," Gabriel said coldly as Natahlie gasped and felt a wave of ice flow through her body. She gripped her tablet tighter.

"Surely you aren't going to resort to them to deal with Marinette, she's just trying to protect her kids!-"

"And I DON'T care about her kids, all she's doing is getting in the way-"

"But getting in the way of what Mr. Agreste?! Making Adrien happy? Adrien finally meeting his kids? Sending professional assassins after her is madness!" Nathalie interjected but Gabriel wouldn't have any of it as he slammed his hands on the table.

"And you should think twice before speaking back against me Nathalie, call the Mourir Brothers or so help me, I will send them after you and Madamoiselle Marinette myself, and the only talking back you'll be doing is beyond the grave, do you understand me?" Gabriel hissed sternly as Nathalie stared at Gabriel in horror before sighing.

"Alright, Gabriel, whatever you wish... Forgive me Marinette..."


	16. Chapter15:TheInevitable

Author's note: Hey guys! SnivyLord here, this chapter is gonna to take place literally right after the therapy session. Just a warning, this chapter will contain heavy content, and this includes graphic scenes of assault (not sexual assault because I don't do that kind of writing), violence, blood, maybe crude language. So if you aren't into that stuff, then read the fluff stuffed chapters instead. This is a pivotal point in the relationship between Marinette and Adrien. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy because this probably gonna be as long as the previous chapter. However, don't worry, I have 3 chapters planned, and each of them are going to centered around one of the three kids. The first one to be released after this is Emma's chapter. Look forward to it guys!

"Are you sure you're gonna be ok walking home by yourself?" Adrien asks me as I proceed to reassure him for the thousandth time that I was gonna be ok.

"Yeah, Adrien, I'll be fine don't worry, my house isn't that really far from here so I can walk home," I reassured him as I slipped my purse over my shoulder and felt the chilly wind blow past us. It was pretty late into the evening and I should probably be home by now. Adrien looks at me with a worried look before sighing and smiling at me.

"Alright, see you Marinette."

"See you too Adrien.." I whispered as I turned around and headed in the opposite direction that he was going in. The street felt so calm and peaceful that I could hear my own footsteps making contact with the sidewalk. The echoes of every step, it sent slight chills up my spine. Soon, it was dark enough for only the streetlights to illuminate the way. The sky was a blurry shade of orange and violet as the sun was disappearing. I'm not sure if it's worth mentioning, but I noticed that one of the streetlights were flickering. Strange... I kept walking, ignoring the flickering of the light. As I kept walking, I didn't get far until I faintly heard another set of footsteps behind me. Stopping in my tracks, I whipped around to find a figure, standing alone in the flickering light. He seemed burly, but he was just standing there menacingly.

"Ummm... hello?" I called out to the man, who took one step forward into the light. I could barely make out the giant scar that streaked vertically across his face. For some reason, I found myself rooted to the spot, unable to move.

"Marinette Dupain Cheng, quite a pleasure, meeting you here..." The man said lowly, he looked familiar, he had slick brownish black hair and a burly figure. He raised his face slightly so the light would illuminate his face and I knew who he was immediately.

"Oh my god... I know you! You're one of the Mourir Brothers!" I exclaimed as the man smirked and laughed coldly.

"So you know of us, I'm honored, however, we both know I'm not here for formalities," The man smirked as I gasped as the light made the dagger he was hiding glisten in the lamplight.

"Wait... where's your brother?" I asked, suddenly realizing that there's only one of them. I turned around and found the taller, lankier brother creeping up right behind me. Acting on instinct, I moved so there was equal distance between me and the two brothers. My head whipped from side to side, watching both brothers as I narrowed my eyes at them, "So, did Gabriel send you to kill me? Is that what this is? I know the work you guys do, there was that report from a few months ago on that murdered girl in Villeurbanne. That was you two wasn't it? How despicable."

"Well you're not really in a position to make such comments are you? Gabriel wanted to give you a message: Stay away from Adrien Agreste," The taller said.

"He said as long as I don't say that my kids are Adrien's, I could be around him just like old times. That's what he said didn't he? Or is he going back on his word like the snake he is?" I asked as I recalled Gabriel telling me exactly that.

"True, however, you did violate one of the terms of the contract by telling Adrien that you're being blackmailed by Gabriel, it's a shame that you must face the consequences, so why not have a little fun while we're here," The burlier one explained as I noticed both of them took a few steps closer, and there's nowhere to run.

"Well forgive me boys, but I don't want to spoil your fun, I'm not planning on dying here," I grit my teeth as I reached into my purse and pulled out a small metal cylinder. My thumb immediately found the button on the side and pressed it. The metal cylinder than immediately expanded into a long, slender metal staff that was about as tall as me. I didn't come here unprepared for these sorts of situations, "I took self defense classes, preparing myself for situations just like this, so I'm warning you, stay away from me."

"So this bitch thinks she can fight back, I'd love to see her try," The taller one laughs as he lunges forward with a curved knife. Glancing towards him first, I dashed towards him head-on, and right when he made a stab at me, I made a small sidestep so it barely missed me and thrust my staff into his stomach, making him groan in pain. I then swiped the staff up, crashing into his chin. Then, while he was disoriented, I swept my leg under him, making him lose his footing and trip. I then felt the other man rush up behind me and I immediately leaped away, doing a backflip backward.

"Hmph, so the woman can fight, well done, I'd really like to see what you can do... that is... if you survive long enough," The burlier laughed cockily as he swung his knife down, forcing me to intercept with my staff and it was soon a battle on strength. However, he was right, will I survive long enough?

Meanwhile...

"That's weird, Mom's not picking up," Louis eyed his phone suspiciously as he just hung up on the 4th call he made to his mom. Emma looked over with worry and brushed her side against Louis' arm in a casual attempt to cuddle with him.

"Really? You think she might have been busy? She said she was going to her therapy thing today right?" Emma asked but Louis narrowed his eyes at Marinette's name not the contact screen and shook his head.

"No... that should have ended ages ago, she said she was coming straight home after the session, it's not that long of a walk," Louis murmured as sort of a reply, but it was more thinking fodder for himself. He then felt Hugo brush up on his other side and lay his chin on the crook of Louis' elbow.

"Maybe a surprise thing came up?" Hugo tried to say but Louis disproved that possibility as well.

"No, then she would have called us and told us that she was doing something else, and she's not answering her calls, and she usually does answer when one of us is calling..." Louis started but he couldn't exactly finish his thought. He felt like he was onto something, but what?

"True... then that means... something must have happened!" Emma exclaimed as she thought about the things that could happen to Maman.

"Yeah... something's definitely wrong, but what can we do?" Louis agreed, but the question remains: what can they do? Louis kept staring at his contact list until his eyes landed on a certain name: Adrien. Hugo noticed this as well and looked up at his brother.

"You think we should call him?" Hugo asked as Louis grit his teeth and sighed.

"I don't think we have a choice, because we can't just go out in the middle of the evening to try to track down Mom, he's probably our best bet," Louis replied as the two nodded in agreement and Louis gave a quick nod before pressing the call button. After the second ring, Louis heard a voice.

"Louis? Is that you? Why are you calling at such a late hour?"

"Oh! Mr. Agreste! Yeah, sorry that I'm calling you at such a late time but where are you right now?"

"Ummm.. I'm on my way home, I'm in a limo right now, why do you ask?"

"Uhhh.. how do I explain this, I think my mom might be in trouble...?" Louis explained into the phone with a questioning tone as it was only a hunch that he had. He then heard Adrien's immediate worried response.

"Really? Louis, how do you know?"

"I've been calling her, but she won't pick up and she always picks up when one of us is calling. She said she was coming straight home after the therapy thing she had today. But it's been a while and she's not home yet, she didn't call to tell me that she had something else to do, so I'm thinking that something happened."

"I see..."

"Mr. Agreste, you happen to be near my mom right? Can you see if she's on the sidewalks anywhere? She said she was walking home," Louis looked outside the now pitch black window, making out the shining of the streetlights and headlights of cars.

"Alright Louis, thank you for telling me, I'll let you know ok? Don't worry, I'll find her, I knew I shouldn't have let her go home alone," Adrien murmured from the other side of the line while Louis cocked his eyebrow in amusement.

"Wait.. you were there with her?"

"Yeah, turns out, we both go to the same therapy place."

Louis, still arching his eyebrow in amusement, snorted, "Shocker..."

"Hey Mister Agreste!" Emma exclaimed as Adrien smiled at the sound of her voice and chuckled.

"Hey Emma, how are you? Well I hope?" Adrien asked as Emma recalled her day so far.

"Yeah, it's been fine, Hugo is fine too if you wanted to know," Emma chirped as she reached across Louis' arm to pinch her brother's cheek, who immediately moved to avoid her fingers.

"It's nice to know that you three are all right, don't worry, I'll find her," Adrien said, determination clear in his voice. As Adrien hung up, he leaned forward so he could speak to Gorilla, "hey Gorilla, do you mind if we drive around the therapy place I was at? The streets around there? I think Marinette might be in trouble."

Gorilla's eyes flickered to the mirror to look at Adrien before turning his eyes back to the road. He knew how much Adrien cared, and he had explicit orders from Gabriel to not help Adrien should he find out that there are assassins after Marinette. The pay was one of the only reasons that Gorilla even put up with Gabriel. He knew it was absolutely excessive, sending assassins after one woman, it seemed insane. And that was his reasoning before he replied, "Understood Master Adrien."

"Thank you," Adrien smiled at Gorilla, who turned the car around and headed back in the direction of the Dr. Fu's place. Gorilla and Adrien made sure to keep watch on the sidewalks, but they were incredibly dark, only lit up but the streetlights, "come on Princess... where could you be?"

Meanwhile...

Marinette expertly used her staff to parry all of her assailants' attacks, twirling around the staff expertly between her hands. At the end of her twirling combo, she spun around and back kicked the dagger out the man's hands with a small yelp coming from him. She immediately did a backflip to create some space between her and the two brothers. She made a mental note to not let one of them get behind her.

"So the woman can fight... that just makes our job a lot more annoying," The burlier one said as Marinette narrowed her eyes at the barely visible figures.

"It also makes it a lot more interesting, let's see you try this!" The taller one cackled as he pulled out a blade and dashed towards her in a very unorthodox way. Marinette, almost frozen to the spot, finally reacts and deflected his slash with her staff, creating a loud clanging sound and splashing something on her face. Marinette wiped it off and looked at it. The substance was dark purple, with a swirly look to it.

"Is this poison?" Marinette thought to herself before she felt a foot connect with her stomach, sending her backward to the ground. She looked up and saw the taller stalking towards her, creepily.

"A shame it didn't get to make contact with your skin..." The brother cackled as Marinette stared at him in horror.

"It is poison, isn't it?" Marinette confirmed as she quickly stood and spun around so the momentum of her staff would quickly smack him in the face, and it did, catching him off guard. Marinette quickly dashed forward and jumped to roundhouse kick him in the same spot. The brother held his his cheek in pain as the burlier brother dashed past him and stampeded at Marinette, who almost cowered in fear. She was trained for these sorts of situations but when it came to the real thing, she couldn't help but feel completely out of her element. Marinette then growled to snap herself out of her stupor and whacked the taller brother on the back and punched him to the floor. The burlier one immediately lunges forward and slashed Marinette's cheek, who held it in pain, feeling the blood pour from the wound. It was a stinging, burning sensation, there was poison in the blade wasn't there?

"Just a tiny drop of that in your system and you'll be dead in a matter of minutes..." The brother laughed as Marinette felt her vision blurring from the pain. There was no time for hesitation, not even for an instant. Marinette dashed forward and used her staff as a vaulting pole to send a sidekick into the brother's stomach. Launched back and clutching his stomach in pain, the brother looked at Marinette in pain and amusement.

"It's a miracle you're still able to move..."

"Well, I suppose I must thank you for not using guns like a normal assassin..." Marinette panted as a joke as the man laughed heartily, why was she even making jokes at a time like this?

"You truly are an amusing target, it's too bad you're going to die, pleasure doing business with you M'am," The burlier laughed as Marinette dashed forward again, her legs now feeling like jelly, and slowly getting sore. She pole vaulted again, but this time, it was over the man, and while she was flipping over him, she thrust his staff straight into his back, earning a yelp of pain. She landed safely in a kneeling position, but even that was enough to topple her from her lack of strength.

"I can barely move..." Marinette murmured to herself as she felt the two brothers recovering from her attacks.

"You used the last of your energy to attack me? The smarter thing to do, would probably be to run. I guess that's what you get for being a fighter, and look, you can barely stay conscious..." The burlier brother sneered at Marinette, who was trying to keep her eyes open. Her body felt cold, like acid was flowing into her veins and numbing everything.

"Let's finish the job shall we?" She heard the taller one say as she stared wearily up at the brother in question who had his dagger out, the blade glistening in the lamplight.

Was this it?

Dying alone on the street by two assailants?

If I had one thing left to say... it would be...

I regret everything...

I don't feel light nor darkness nor pain or even the sweet release of death...

No one can save me...

No one wants to...

Louis... Hugo... Emma... forgive me...

I regret everything... absolutely everything...

"MARINETTE!!!!!!!!"

In the car where Adrien is... (That's oddly specific)

Adrien kept his eyes out, searching for the tiniest sign of movement on the sidewalks near Dr. Fu's place. However, just then, he had an idea.

"Gorilla, find the street that would lead back to Marinette's house from Master Fu's place," Adrien ordered as Gorilla nodded and entered the address into the built-in GPS on the car. The screen then showed the route back to Marinette's house from their location. Adrien narrowed his eyes at it while flickering between the screen and the road ahead, rolling down the windows for any sounds as well. Gorilla then drove down the route and drove semi-slowly so they wouldn't miss anything. Soon though, they could hear yelling, and signs of a struggle. Adrien peered out the window and squinted his eyes at three figures who seem to be fighting in the shadows of the light that was cast by the streetlights. He could barely make out that one of them had a staff of some sort and the others had knives and daggers. He noticed the one with the staff dashing forward and attacking one of the other figures, hearing a feminine yell from the staff-user. One of them went down and the other one dashed forward and from what he could hear, landed a hit on her, garnering a scream. Gorilla knew exactly who it was, it was just a matter of time before Adrien knew.

"That scream... Marinette... Marinette!" Adrien exclaimed as he immediately blew open the limo door and sprinted to the fight scene. He could hear their voices.

"Just a tiny drop of that in your system and you'll be dead in minutes..." Adrien then heard quick footsteps and another groan as the staff-user finally came into the light of the streetlight and what he saw made him furious. Marinette landed after flipping over the guy but slumped over from what he assumed was the poison. She had blood streaks over her face and god knows what other injuries.

"It's a miracle you're still able to move..."

"Well, I suppose I must thank you for not using guns like a normal assassin... ugh..."

"Let's finish the job shall we?" Adrien heard the taller say. Why the hell was this street so wide? Adrien puffed more air into lungs as he sprinted towards Marinette, who he saw couldn't even move anymore. These weren't your run of the mill assailants... Adrien narrowed his eyes at the taller one as he called out for her.

"MARINETTE!!!!" Adrien yelled as he cocked his fist back and socked the man right in the face, sending him to the floor. Marinette looked tiredly up at Adrien who kneeled down to her face and felt his face drain of color. The light was void in her eyes, she was barely conscious and there was blood smears all over the left side of her cheek where her cut was, "Marinette... it'll be ok, I promise." Adrien said softly as a tear made its escape from her eye as she became unresponsive.

Adrien grit his teeth as he straightened up again and his entire being was filled with a fiery hatred, "You made yourselves a death sentence, touching her. Now... you have to answer to me..." Gorilla continued to watch from inside the car, he had to do something, Adrien would also risk getting poisoned like Marinette and that absolutely cannot happen. Gorilla quickly got out of the car and rushed to Marinette's side, pulling out a vial with pills inside it.

"Quickly Lady Marinette, please use any remaining strength you have left to take this medicine, it should neutralize the poison enough to slow down the destruction of your blood cells until we get you an actual antidote," Gorilla said roughly as he hastily poured out two pills and inserted it into Marinette's mouth, who weakly swallowed it a few moments later. Gorilla then stood up and stood back to back with Adrien, "be careful Adrien, these guys have poison weapons, be nimble, be fast, or else you won't be able to help Lady Marinette."

Adrien glanced down towards the unmoving form of his princess, he won't be able to help her if he gets hit, but he also noticed the metal staff she was using. Curious, he picked up and found it was incredibly light but sturdy. He held the staff at the end, as if it was a fencing saber and he looked at the taller brother with keen focus.

"I won't fail this time... I'm gonna keep my promise, no matter what," Adrien murmured to himself as he charged and swung the staff at the brother's hand, knocking the knife out of his hand and into the dark somewhere. He heard a loud grunt from behind him and glanced to find the other brother beaten by several humongous punches from Gorilla, who dusted off his hands. Adrien looked back again to land several blows to the enemy in front of him, like his saber, the staff was almost too fast to look at. The brother screamed as Adrien made no move to hesitate as he jabbed the man in multiple places, leaving the brother clutching in pain. Adrien narrowed his eyes at the man before making one final thrust in the middle of the brother's chest, making him groan and trudge past the two, roughly picking up his brother and taking one last forlorn glance at Adrien before disappearing into the dark, their footsteps already fading.

"It seems we drove them off this time Sir Adrien," Gorilla murmured as he turned to find Adrien not even listening but picking Marinette up off the ground, bridal style.

"She's not looking too good, we need to get her back to the mansion," Adrien leaned in closer to her face so he could get a better look. She was pale and sweating a lot, it looked like she had a fever building. Before Adrien could move, he heard a voice call out to him.

"Adrien is that you?"

"Dr. Fu? What are you doing here?" Adrien asked as he saw the man come into view with his signature red floral shirt.

"Take this blend of medicinal herbs I concocted. Brew it in a tea and it should act as an antidote to counteract against the effects of the poison," Dr. Fu held out a small bag and placed in Adrien's outstretched hand.

"Wow... I don't know how to thank you Dr. Fu..."

"Of course you do, take care of her for me," Dr. Fu gave one last smile before disappearing into the dark. Adrien nodded as he made his way to the car and placed Marinette next to him in the backseat, leaning into him.

"Hold on Marinette... you're going to be alright," Adrien kept a hand to her hand to track her temperature. She was still running a fever but it wasn't getting worse nor was it getting better. Eventually they actually hit back to the mansion and with Marinette in his arms, Adrien and Gorilla rushes to the door and practically burst it open. Nathalie came down the grand staircase to see the commotion and stopped mid-step on the stairs when she saw Marinette.

"Adrien... W-what happened?" Nathalie asked, voice full of concern. The concern was real of course, but her surprise wasn't. She knew exactly why she was in that state.

"She was attacked by a pair of assailants, she then tried to fight back against them and got poisoned. I don't what she was thinking, rushing into such a suicidal situation," Adrien replied as his ears tuned in to the labored breathing of the princess in his arms, noticing the smallest changes.

"How utterly terrible, get her into the guest room, does she need anything?" Nathalie asked as Adrien nodded and pushed past her, with her following with Gorilla down the long white hallway.

"Perhaps a warm towel, some Tylenol when she needs to recover her strength, but we have the medicine to get rid of the poison." Adrien replied as Nathalie opened the door to the guest room and Adrien quickly set her down on the bed, "so boil a pot of tea using these herbs Nathalie." Adrien held out the bag as Nathalie nodded and bowed herself out of the room with Gorilla. As soon as she closed the door behind her, she was confronted by Gorilla.

"Gabriel forced you to call the Mourir Brothers on Lady Marinette didn't he?"

"Yes... I tried to refuse but he said he would eliminate both of us if I refused," Nathalie murmured as she headed into the kitchen to boil a pot of tea, setting the kettle on the electric stove.

"Any minute or even seconds later and she could have died, I'm sure you're aware of that," Gorilla growled roughly as Nathalie stared at the steam that was starting to form.

"I know... I know, but she would have been killed along with me anyway. I suppose I was counting on her being able to escape or defeat them... We know she takes self defenses classes. We've both been forced to keep tabs on her for Gabriel," Nathalie replied after a moment, noticing Gorilla's shift in stance when she mentioned his involvement.

"You know how important she is to Adrien, and you were willing to have her killed," Gorilla sighed disappointedly as Nathalie snapped as the steam from the kettle reached a boiling hiss.

"What else was I supposed to do!? If I refused, he would have sent them himself after Marinette and me! He doesn't care about us, make no mistake, he will kill us if we stand in his way!" Nathalie snapped as Gorilla took a harsh, sharp intake of breath. She then closed her eyes in frustration before feeling herself calm down again, "he's a "the ends justify the means" kinda man, there's no morality crisis for him." Nathalie sighed as she poured the water in a tea strainer with the tea leaves and pressed the knob down so the filter transferred the essence of the tea into the water, "let's get this tea to Lady Marinette."

"Thank you so much Nathalie," Adrien sighed in relief as Nathalie entered moments later with the pot of tea and some big tea cups.

"It's not a problem Adrien, your father shouldn't be back in a couple of days so I think you'll be fine. I'll leave you alone with her now," Nathalie gave a small smile before bowing out. Adrien gracefully poured the pot of tea into the cup. Marinette then weakly propped herself up against the headboard so she could sit up and Adrien handed the tea to her. Marinette smiled weakly as with a groan, she slowly drank it with a warmth surging through her body. Marinette eyed Adrien, who had his hands interlaced together, clenched in a tight fist.

"Adrien?" Marinette called out weakly as she reached for the pot of tea, only for Adrien to snatch it before she could and pour it for her with only a glance as he continued to look straight in front of him, "Adrien?"

"What were you thinking?" Adrien asked with a deadly whisper as Marinette stared down at her cup of tea and continued drinking so she didn't have to answer. She really didn't have one, she didn't really know what to tell Adrien at this point, "WHAT were you thinking?" Adrien asked again with an emphasis on his tone now. Marinette felt herself jump from the shock as she sighed and continued to drink.

"What I was thinking?" Marinette repeated slowly as she looked straight ahead, "I don't exactly know, I just remember that I noticed I was being stalked, I stopped, looked behind me, and there he was. The other one came up from behind me, I couldn't run into the street, so there was really only one thing I could do: fight. You used my extendable metal staff right? I had self-defense training, just for these sorts of situations. It wasn't enough... they wielded deadly poison, I was careless, thinking I could take the Mourir brothers on by myself." Marinette sighed as she drank the rest of her tea and found Adrien staring at her intently with a sad, grief-ridden look.

"You know? If Louis hadn't called me and said that he had a sneaking suspicion that something happened to you, you would have died... and I wouldn't have even known about it," Adrien scoffed out the last part in an exasperated tone. Marinette noticed the tears threatening to spill from his eyes and she reached over to brush her thumb against the edge of his eye to sweep the tears away.

"I-I'm sorry Adrien, it was my fault, I couldn't save myself, I didn't think I could run, but I fought for my life, and I would have left you and my kids behind if you came just a moment later, oh Adrien, I-I-I am so sorry," Marinette sobbed as she put her hand to her mouth and tried to contain her sobs. Adrien looked at her sadly for a moment before smiling softly.

"C'mere, you need a hug, I'm sorry for yelling, I don't know what I would do if I lost you, that's why I was mad," Adrien whispered softly as Marinette looked up at him with teary eyes and leaned forward so she could hug him. Adrien rested his chin on top of her head and kissed her hair, "you really have a knack for getting yourself into trouble don't you?" Adrien asked jokingly as Marinette let out a laugh and relaxed into his chest. Adrien sighed before realizing: he forgot to update Louis on what happened. Adrien fished his phone from his pocket and immediately dialed Louis' number. Marinette eyed his phone and gasped as she sat up.

"Oh my goodness, Louis must be worried sick!" Marinette said as Adrien heard Louis' voice after one ring.

"MISTER AGRESTE! WHERE IS MY MOM!? IT'S BEEN OVER AN HOUR! Hugo has been repeating trivia facts to himself to calm himself and it's getting really annoying. HUGO! I really don't want to hear how the Mongolians failed to invade Japan because of a weather phenomenon in the form of a really strong wind drove them away and the Japanese called it a kamikaze!" Adrien heard Louis tell Hugo who was mumbling history to himself in a very psychotic tone. Marinette brought a curled finger to her lip as she thought about it.

"Huh, he does do that a lot when he's nervous," Marinette thought aloud as she heard another yell come from Adrien's phone.

"MAMAN! IS THAT YOU?! PLEASE TELL ME YOU'RE OKAY!" Emma yelled as Adrien held the phone further away to save his ears. Putting it on speaker, Marinette responded.

"Yes, I'm okay sweetie, I'm really sorry for worrying you three-" Marinette was about to explain until more voices cut in.

"MOM! It is so good to hear your voice! Did something happen?!" Louis asked worriedly as Hugo added on the onslaught of questions.

"How did Mr. Agreste find you so quickly?" Hugo asked as Marinette pondered which question to answer first as Adrien smirked at her.

"Well Louis, to answer your question, let's just say your suspicion was correct, on my way home, I was attacked by two men," Marinette started as she heard three collective gasps from the phone.

"Oh my god! Mom! Are you ok?!" Louis asked worriedly as Marinette could hear the other two screaming their concern into the phone, their questions becoming a cacophony.

"Yes, I'm alright, I'm just a little weak, that's all," Marinette sighed as she heard a sigh of relief as Adrien rubbed her back comfortingly.

"Were you badly hurt? Maman, please tell me you weren't going to... you know... die?" Emma asked quietly as Marinette felt herself hesitate for a moment. She couldn't tell them she almost died from lethal poisoning, she would have scared her kids to death!

"No no! Emma, don't you think that, I was badly hurt of course sweetie, but I wasn't on the verge of death," Marinette reassured her daughter as she felt a pair of eyes burn into the side of her head.

"Maman wouldn't die Emma, she's taken self defense classes, she wouldn't have been taken down so easily!" Hugo reassured Emma as she nodded and sighed.

"Although, I do have to warn you guys first, I'm too weak to make it home tonight, so I'm going to stay the night at Adrien's house. So make sure you lock your doors, the windows, and even check under your bed," Marinette reminded the three as she felt murmurs of agreement from the other side.

"Alright Mom, are you sure you're going to be ok over there? Considering?" Louis asked as he bit the nail of his thumb.

"Yes, I'll be fine, I have Adrien here with me, I'm serious about under the bed, you never know," Marinette looked at Adrien reassuringly, who smiled warmly back at her.

"Alright alright Mom... stay safe... love you," Louis laughed lightly as his tone switched to a light whisper.

"Love you Maman!" Emma called out.

"Don't overstay your welcome ok? I wanna see you as soon as possible!" Hugo chimed on as Louis shook his head and laughed again.

"Love you guys..." Marinette wiped a tear from her eye as she heard Louis say something else.

"Good night my moon..." She heard him quietly say as she immediately knew what he was saying: it was a good night wishes thing that she and Louis shared when he was little and they would wish each other good night, right before they went to sleep.

"Good night my sun," Marinette happily whispered as Louis continued.

"Good bye crocodile..."

"See you later alligator..."

"See you soon on the road Mom..."

"See you soon on the road Louis..."

"Love you..."

"Love you too Louis," Marinette felt herself choke out a sob as she slowly pressed the hang up button and set the phone down.

"Do you say that to Louis every night?" Adrien asked with a smirk, he was extremely curious.

"Well... when he was little, we said our good night wishes every night, but when Hugo and Emma came around, we wouldn't say the full thing... but he did this time. I thought I would never hear it again," Marinette laughed and cried as she wiped the tears away as Adrien smiled at her crying.

"I happen to think it's incredibly adorable," Adrien smirked as he leaned close so she could see the amusement on his face. Marinette blushed lightly as she huffed from embarrassment.

"H-h-hey! Mothers and their sons have those things that they do that no one else understands, those quirks and inside jokes! You just love teasing me don't you?" Marinette rolled her eyes at him when she realized what he was doing. Adrien smiled wider as he tapped her nose with his finger.

"That's right," Adrien said as a matter of factly as Marinette pouted. Adrien chuckled before turning and heading to the door.

"Alright Marinette, drink the rest of the tea and call me if you need anything else ok?" Adrien said softly as Marinette smiled at Adrien and looked outside the window into the night.

"Hey Adrien..."

"Yeah Marinette?" Adrien asked as he took his hand off the doorknob.

"I'm scared... things have never gotten this bad before... and I need someone to be here with me. Adrien could you sleep with me tonight? I hope it's not too much to ask," Marinette asked hopefully as Adrien stared at her for a moment with an unreadable expression making her regret her question before smiling wide.

"Sure, I'll get changed, I think I might have a t-shirt in here," Adrien chuckled as he headed to the drawer and took his shirt off, revealing his lean muscular body. Even after all these years, he still kept in shape as a model, it was amazing, she could still make out his extremely toned six-pack and sculpted chest with a sharp collarbone. Even his biceps and muscular back look as scrumptious as ever as Marinette miserably tried her hardest not to ogle. He did this on fucking purpose; that stupid, sexy asshole! Even Adrien noticed as he turned back to her with an smirk, "see something you like?"

"Adrien! You know how you're not supposed to change in front of a lady! What's wrong with you!?" Marinette asked embarrassedly as she felt her face become hotter by the second.

"Awww come on, I know you enjoyed it," Adrien said in a very deep, husky tone that almost made Marinette swoon.

"W-w-what?! Ok maybe a little, but change in the bathroom!" Marinette yelled as Adrien laughed and gathered the rest of his clothes into the bathroom. Marinette sighed as she tried to get her heart to go back down. A few minutes later, Adrien came out with a plain black t-shirt with a neon-green stripe going across and black sweatpants. Marinette sighed as she scooted over so he could slip in under the covers with her. It was now dark in the room as Adrien turned off the lights earlier but she could still make out his figure in the darkness. As she settled into the covers, she felt the warmth emanating from his body. It felt warm, it felt safe, it felt right. Suddenly, Marinette heard a soft voice call out in the darkness.

"You know... the last time we slept like this was 15 years ago, it reminds of how much I missed this," Adrien said softly as Marinette let out a small smile, remembering.

"Yeah... it seems so long ago, so much has changed since then... it seems like a lifetime ago," Marinette sighed as she snuggled under the covers and felt Adrien settle in next to her. Marinette moved her head so she could get a good look at Adrien's face, it seemed content yet conflicted somehow, "Adrien, are you going to be ok? You know... with losing Kagami and everything?"

Adrien pressed his lips into a thin line before propping himself up on his elbow and smiling at her, "Yeah, I think it's because I was afraid of having someone I love leave me again. The fear of loneliness, it's what triggers my depression every time... I don't ever want to feel that again..."

Marinette sighed as she lifted her hand up so she could rest it on his cheek, caressing it, "I see... Adrien, don't worry this time ok? I'm not going to leave you ok? I promise... It's been the biggest regret of my life and I'm sorry... for everything..." Marinette felt herself bury her herself into the pillows. She heard Adrien chuckled before feeling a pair of lips press against her forehead.

"Stop apologizing Princess... it's not like you, I know you won't leave... I believe you..." Adrien said softly as Marinette felt his arm gently wrap around her torso and bring her closer to him, close enough so that their noses were touching and their bodies were pressed up against each other. She felt herself snuggle into his chest and smile. She finally felt safe, protected, supported, and most of all, calm.

"Thank you..." Marinette whispered as she slipped into a peaceful sleep, Adrien kissed her hair before he fell asleep thinking about two things: the black mail against Marinette and how to save her. He also felt himself almost say something, but he decided against it. It was just his heart speaking... now isn't the time... but it's inevitable


	17. Chapter16:AFatherDaughterDance

Author's Note: Hey guys! SnivyLord here! Thank you so much for your support and your comments with this story. I honestly love this story so much, and I hope you all are finding it ok! Anyway! This is Emma's chapter, the first of the three sibling chapters. Look forward to Hugo and Louis'!

The sleep that she had last night was the most peaceful she has had in ages. She scarcely remembered waking up with a very firm weight wrapped snugly around her body. When Marinette finally opened her eyes, there was that one instance of shock, but then it became endearment. Adrien's sleeping face was one to be admired, he looked so peaceful when he's sleeping. His hair was just a little more messy than usual but he still looked good. It was at this point, that Marinette realized just how close she was to him, their lips were literally only centimeters apart. Marinette, even though she didn't want to leave, she tried to as subtly as possible, squirm her way out of his grasp, but she still couldn't do that. His arm was locked snugly around her and he had no intention of letting her go.

"Adrien... wake up, I gotta go," Marinette silently laughed and pleaded with Adrien, whose face scrunched with feigned annoyance as he cracked open one eye and held her closer.

"No..." Adrien whined as Marinette let out a little laugh, "I don't want to let you go, you feel so nice to snuggle with..." Adrien broke out into a smile and snuggled into her neck. A question flashed through her mind in an instant before it vanished from how much fun she was having: What were they? Relationship wise. They seemed comfortable to hug and cuddle with each other in their sleep and also while they're conscious, do friends even do that? Probably not, but it's not as if Marinette cared all that much.

"Adrien!" Marinette said through laughs as she finally managed to get off the bed but felt two arms wrap around her waist and pull her back onto the bed so she could face him again. After a moment of calming down from the laughs, Adrien couldn't help but press his forehead to hers.

"Good morning Princess..." Adrien says softly as Marinette couldn't help but giggle.

"You still call me by that nickname Agreste?" Marinette asked playfully as she felt Adrien's hands skim over her sides and dig into them, tickling her, "ADRIEN! HAHAHA s-stop it!"

"Tell me you like me calling you that, then I'll stop," Adrien laughed as he skimmed his fingers faster, making Marinette laugh harder and squirm more.

"All I did was j-j-just ask! FINE! Y-yes HAHAHA, I do like you calling me that!" Marinette laughed as she felt Adrien stop and look at her intently in the eyes.

"Good," Adrien smirked as he leaned closer that Marinette could feel his breath. If Adrien didn't stop now, she didn't know what to think. Adrien smirked wider as he could feel Marinette's quickened breathing and arousal. After a moment, Adrien suddenly pulled away and got up, flashing her one of his signature innocent, optimistic smiles before leaving, "alright, get up Princess, I need to take you back to your kids. I'll be waiting for you downstairs after I get ready."

"Uh huh..." Marinette mumbled incoherently as she tried to process what just happened. Was there supposed to be romantic and sexual tension? What the hell? Marinette asked herself as she somehow made her to the bathroom to take a shower and wear her clothes from yesterday. 30 minutes later, she found herself outside her flat/apartment with her kids rushing up to her. She gave them an advance warning that she was coming so Hugo and Emma have been taking shifts watching for Adrien's car from the living room window.

"Maman! You're ok!" Emma hugged her mom tightly as Marinette wrapped her arms around her daughter and hugged her tighter.

"I'm sorry for making you worry," Marinette said as she eventually let go of Emma, just to be hugged by Louis and Hugo. Hugo cried into his mom's coat, his feelings of panic soothed by the reassuring rubs Marinette massaged into his back, "Hugo, I'm sorry..."

"It's ok... Maman... I'm just glad you're ok..." Hugo hiccuped from his soft sobbing as Louis warmly smiled at Marinette and Adrien.

"Alright, Hugo, Emma, why don't you go back inside for a little bit, I need to ask Mom something," Louis ruffled both of their hairs, to which they pouted slightly before hugging their mom one more time before saying goodbye to Adrien. Louis sighed before turning back to the two in front of him before asking, "Alright Mom, what really happened?"

"W-what?" Marinette asked as Louis raised his eyebrow accusingly.

"I know you only said you were beat up just so Hugo and Emma wouldn't freak out. I could tell you were lying over the phone Mom, you hesitated before you answered, as if you were debating whether to say what actually happened, and you decided against it," Louis explained as he looked pointedly at his mom, who didn't look shocked, but impressed.

"Wow Louis, you noticed all of that when I was talking? I'm impressed Louis," Marinette asked, her voice full of pride as Louis smirked.

"Well, I am your son, I have to notice these things, it's my job. Plus, I know you the most even though Mister Agreste is close competition," Louis said as a matter of factly, sending a joking smile at Adrien, who reciprocated it, "but seriously what really happened?"

"I guess there's no use trying to hide what happened. But, you can't tell Hugo or Emma, I don't want to scar them or give them the notion that I'm going to die," Marinette sighed as Louis nodded for Marinette to continue, "when the men attacked me yesterday, they wielded weapons laced with deadly poison. I noticed the poison, but that still didn't stop me from getting from taking a hit from one of their knives." Marinette explained as Louis felt his breath hitch in his throat, "the poison surprisingly spread quickly and I was quickly taken down even though I tried to fight through the pain. If Adrien hadn't found me at the moment he did, I would have died." Louis gasped as he immediately hugged his mom again.

"M-mom... t-trouble's always finding you doesn't it?" Louis sobbed into Marinette's coat, who smiled softly at his comment as they continued to hug. Louis looked past her shoulder to find Adrien grinning at the both of them, he softly mouthed a 'thank you' with Adrien giving a appreciative nod right back, "I'm pretty sure I can't stop you from getting found by trouble, but I have your back, just like I always have," Louis smiled as Marinette smiled back at him.

"My handsome smart boy, of course I know that," Marinette said, leaning in to kiss his cheek before heading inside the apartment with Louis and Adrien.

"Oh yeah Mom, you have buy Emma a new dress for the father-daughter dance this Wednesday," Louis reminded Marinette, who looked at him questioningly.

"Wait, what happened to the one she had last year?"

"Accidentally ripped the back seam of the dress when she was roleplaying Rapunzel with Hugo," Louis stifled a laugh as Marinette could also hear Adrien chuckle when they headed up the stairs.

"Those take forever to fix, that's not enough time, plus, that dress was ruined when I bought it... but why do we need to buy a new dress, I can just make one," Marinette scoffed as she opened the door to her apartment to find Hugo and Emma waiting for them. Emma bounced up to her and jumped up and down.

"Maman! You remember the father-daughter dance that my school is having on Wednesday right? Can we buy a new dress?" Emma asked cheerfully as Marinette bent down and pinched her cheeks affectionately.

"Not this year Emma, I'm making your dress," Marinette smirked as Emma's smile widened even more as she practically screamed, causing the others to plug their ears.

"HALLELUJAH! Your dresses are so pretty! YES YES YES YES YES!" Emma shot around the apartment chanting 'Maman's making me a dress!' over and over and over. Marinette laughed as Louis successfully caught and shook her in place.

"EMMA! Calm down, she's just making you a dress!" Louis said through laughs.

"She's the best fashion designer in all of Paris, right Mister Agreste?" Emma cheered as Adrien smiled and nodded.

"She really is..." Marinette looked back at Adrien, who smiled at her. He always did support her designs, that hasn't changed.

"Alright, I'll get this dress ready for you in no time Emma! You're gonna love it! Now everyone shoo! Genius is at work," Marinette smiled slyly as she went into her office and practically closed herself off from everyone, who laughed at her passion for designing fashion. On the evening of the dance, Marinette finally finished her masterpiece when the door to her office opened to find Adrien peeking in.

"Oh my god, how long has it been?" Marinette asked tiredly as she had Emma's completed dress on the mannequin, the pins taken off as the dress finally came together. Adrien chuckled as he came up next to her and massaged her shoulders.

"Well, is the dress ready for her? She's been extremely restless about it," Adrien asked as Marinette sighed happily and sat back into his inviting hands.

"Yep, they're done, and now Emma just needs to wear it to make it perfect." Marinette clapped her hands together and readjusted her precision glasses. Adrien smiled as another thought came to mind.

"Oh yeah Marinette, I'm not sure how you would feel about this, but Emma... she kinda asked me to take the place of the father at the dance. Since you know, she doesn't have one, is that ok with you? It might be a little awkward..." Adrien rambled as he tried to deliver the question as lightly as possible as he felt Marinette tense in shock but relax. She turned slightly in her chair so she could make eye contact with him.

"She asked you if you could accompany her?" Marinette asked carefully as Adrien nodded, afraid of her response. Marinette thought it about it for barely a second before nodding. He is her father after all, why not, "I would love it if you were able to take her, I'm going too, just so I can take photos." Marinette smiled slyly as she suddenly stood up, grabbed the dress carefully off the mannequin and smiled at Adrien, "you have my blessing. Man, it sounds like I'm getting you married." Marinette giggled as Adrien laughed as he pushed her out the door.

"Come on, let's show her the dress," Adrien laughed as they went to show her dress and he added something as well, which got an appropriate reaction, "besides, you know there's only one person I'd want to marry."

"AAAAAAAHHHHH IT IS SO PRETTY!!" Emma squealed as she twirled around in the dress and jumped in the air. It was a pale pink dress with one thick strap going over her left shoulder. The dress crinkled in a spiral towards the middle where there was a golden sash tied in a bow at the back. The dress continued down towards in ankles, flowing almost like silk. On the insides and on the edges, the dress has gold accents, and Emma wore her hair into a bun with a braid crown to complete the look. She also put a pink butterfly clip with gold and black accents in her hair to complete the look. Louis and Hugo impressively looked at the work as Marinette held her heart with joy.

"She looks honestly so precious... Adrien! Are you done changing into your suit?" Marinette asked as she heard footsteps coming down the stairs.

"Yep, already done, what do you think?" Adrien asked as he straightened out the cuffs on the suit. Marinette turned to face him and gasped at how good it looked on him. He had a dark blue suit, almost like the night sky, and he has a pink rose tucked into the suit pocket. It was midnight blue three piece suit and he combed his hair so it would more straight, not that it helped, it was perfection anyway.

"You know, I think you look rather dashing, wait, your tie's crooked, let me get that," Marinette pressed a finger to her chin, smirking before coming up to him and fixing his tie. Adrien couldn't help but smirk down at her, he found it extremely sexy that she was doing it for him. Marinette then tucked the tie snugly back in the suit and wiped his suit so he would be ready. She then looked up and saw him smirking and she rested her hands on his chest, "what? Why are you smirking at me like that?"

"No, it's nothing, just enjoying the view," Adrien murmured as Marinette gasped and hit his chest playfully, making him laugh. Adrien noticed the three smirking at them before he noticed the suits they were wearing. Louis and Hugo had the generic black tuxedos on with a red rose, "looking good guys! Are you all ready to go? Because your mom isn't."

"What? I'm ready!" Marinette protested as Adrien shook his head disapprovingly as he gestured to her outfit.

"You are not going to your daughter's dance in that. It's a formal dance! Go change!" Adrien turned her around and pushed her up the stairs, "we'll be waiting down here!" Marinette stuck her tongue back out at him before changing. A few minutes later, she came down with a red dress that hugged her body and was as smooth as silk. The dress was simple but elegant, it was held up by two straps going over shoulder and it hugged all her curves. The dress split around her knees, leaving room for her legs to move and she wore red heels to match. She also wore a red silk scarf that hung loose around her shoulders and arms with a velvet maroon purse to match. She wore her hair to the side, her hair coming off her in voluminous waves to one side, comfortably reaching her shoulders but going no lower. It was held by a ladybug hair accessory in the back to keep it from going on the other side. She wore light makeup and some red lipstick and she was good to go, not that she needed a lot.

"Are we ready to go?" Marinette asked as Adrien and the others gaped at her, "what?"

"Mom looks like a literal queen," Louis said dumbly as the other two kids nodded in agreement.

"I can't remember the last time Maman went out and she looked like that," Hugo mumbled as Marinette looked shyly at all of them and Emma leaned over to whisper to him.

"Probably because she hasn't had a normal outing in 15 years."

"You look amazing, absolutely amazing," Adrien murmured as Marinette smiled warmly at him. Adrien figures he should say something else before it gets too awkward, "I think we should go, we'll take my car."

"Alright Agreste, lead the way," Marinette smiled as she walked past him and he could get a whiff of her perfume. The things she does to him. Later they were in the car and they were talking about fun subjects like the record for the longest memorization of Pi, paragliding since it's so dangerous, things the kids did at school, and dog and cat breeds.

"You know I kinda don't know what breed Plagg is, he seems to have a very odd taste for cheese, specifically Camembert. He's a black cat though," Adrien commented as the kids scrunched up their faces in confusion.

"What the... that's on oddly specific taste, don't cats eat like a kibble mix or milk? Or as Puss in boots calls it: lait du lèche," Hugo thought aloud as Emma squealed.

"We'd love to meet him sometime Mister Agreste!" Emma chirped as Adrien smiled and looked at her in the mirror.

"Sure I'll introduce you sometime."

"Yay!"

Marinette smiled to herself as she watched the streetlights outside; he's getting to know the kids really well, she can't get over how much she wanted him to be able to bond with them and she's seeing it right before her eyes. She kept thinking before she was snapped out of thoughts by Adrien.

"Penny for your thoughts Princess? Whatcha thinking about?" Adrien asked as Marinette sighed and leaned back in the seat, smiling.

"Just... this... you know? I've never seen them like someone who's just a family friend this much, I'm so glad to see them be friends with you, and especially since it's you. You were always someone I've wanted them to meet. It's just like a dream," Marinette turned her head to smile at the kids talking in the backseat. Adrien smiled and frowned when he heard the word "friend," he knew he wanted to be more with her, but something's stopping them, and he knows it's his father.

"Are you sure I'm just a family friend Mari? You seemed oddly comfortable hugging me yesterday night when we're just friends," Adrien murmured teasingly as Marinette blushed furiously and stared at her hands, "am I right? Or am I wrong?"

"You've really mastered how to tease seductively didn't you Agreste. You're really gonna kill me one day with your charm," Marinette laughed nervously as Adrien laughed.

"Only because you make it so easy, I should really be saying that to you. You're making it extremely hard to resist kissing the daylights out of you," Adrien continued to tease as Marinette felt herself sweat at that. As much as she would love that, he knows what's at risk... sort of. She decided to continue playing his game and see if she could turn the tables, not that the kids were paying attention.

"Am I really that irresistible? I've never noticed, I think I need a reminder on why that is," Marinette smiled slyly at Adrien and looked innocently at him and she swore she could hear a seductive growl coming out of him, arousing her, "you know... we should really stop before this goes too far, there are kids in here."

And like a switch, he was back to normal, "Alright, we're almost there anyways. Remember Mari, I'm going to help you with my father since I know he is the reason why."

Marinette gulped as they parked into the school parking lot and the family noticed the other families heading towards the gym. Marinette sucked in a breath of the air before turning to the kids.

"Alright, you guys ready?" Marinette asked as the three nodded and they all headed together, at the entrance to the gym, they found Hugo and Emma's teacher, Madame Baron. She was a kind and funny women, had a a very sarcastic wit, but she cares when she wants to. She had short brown hair, warm blue eyes, and glasses to complete the look.

"Oh hello Emma! I'm so glad you could make it! Marinette, always a pleasure to see you," Madame Baron said as Marinette handed in the permission slip she signed, allowing Emma to attend. Madame Baron's eyes flickered towards Hugo, Louis, and Adrien and smiled, "family is always welcome, although I do believe I've never seen you before. My good sir, who are you, are you her father?"

Madame Baron looked accusingly at Marinette because she was aware of the fact that Emma had always gone to the father-daughter dance alone. She always danced with Louis, Hugo, or Marinette, or all at once to fill the void. It wasn't like Emma minded but this time was different. There's really no good way to explain this.

"Oh, I'm a family friend, I'm just here to fill in for Emma's father since he's not around," Adrien tried to put in the lightest way possible. Madame Baron gave him a piercing look before smiling.

"Alright then, have fun inside!" Madame Baron smiled but before Adrien could follow the others in, she stopped him, "you'd better do more than just 'fill in' Adrien Agreste, this is her first time dancing with a father figure. It should be magical... don't ruin it for her." Adrien modded mutely before following the others in and Marinette turned around to face him.

"Hmm? Did Madame Baron tell you something?"

"What? Oh nothing... nothing at all..."

"Adrien?" Marinette asked, not exactly convinced.

"It's nothing..." Adrien said as Marinette nodded and turned back around to face the decorated gym, which was decorated with midnight blue wall paper with gold curtains. There were constellation like decor hanging all over the ceiling and gold accents everywhere. To the left where they walked in, there was a huge and long buffet table with an assortment of foods that Marinette didn't think were possible for grade school. Marinette continued to look around as she saw tons of more families that were talking, letting the kids dance and play, "It's quite the set up isn't it?"

Adrien nodded as he filled in the spot right next to her, "It looks really nice, the choice of music isn't bad."

"You mean Dancing Queen by ABBA?" Marinette stifled a laugh as Adrien crossed his arms in defense. The song in question was playing loudly over the speakers.

"It's a great song! Don't you think it's a good song?" Adrien asked as Marinette just covered her mouth with her hand, laughing.

"I do think it's a good song, didn't expect for you to get defensive about it though..." Marinette giggled as Adrien smiled softly and bumped his shoulder with hers.

"Alright Alright, where are your kids?" Adrien asked as Marinette immediately answered.

"Hugo mixing the drinks at the buffet table to experiment possible drink combinations, Emma's showing off her dress to her friends, I mean who wouldn't?" Marinette explained with Adrien smirking at that last part, "and Louis is talking to some of his old teachers." Marinette pointed in the direction of each of the kids as Adrien confirmed her explanation and grinned.

"Gotta love those motherly instincts."

"You know it... is that Chloe over there? Oh and there's Luka, Elena, and Constantine!" Marinette spotted a perfectly styled head of blond hair next to a mop of teal ombré hair. Adrien looked closer and smiled.

"Oh yeah, that's them! Elena's 14 right?"

"Right."

"So then she gets to dance with her father one more time since you can't when you're 15," Adrien thought aloud as he felt Marinette gasp and nod in agreement.

"Oh right! So this is her last time isn't it? It must be sad," Marinette frowned as she saw Elena hugging her father. Hugo then came up to the pair with several drinks in hand, carefully balanced on his arms and elbows, "oh my goodness Hugo!"

Adrien chuckled as he helped release a little of Hugo's burden and examined the drinks, which were in clear plastic cups, "Are these all the experimental drinks you've made?"

"Yep! Don't be alarmed with the brown one, I threw a bunch of drinks together, it actually tastes pretty good," Hugo explained as Adrien examined a murky brown drink that Marinette was holding in slight disgust.

"Sweetie... I'll probably take the Coke-Sprite combo, I don't think it's bad," Hugo handed Marinette a cup of the aforementioned drink and she sipped it, "yeah, it's not bad."

"I'll try the fruit punch-lemonade combo and see how that goes," Adrien smiled at Hugo, who smiled back and handed him an orange looking drink. Adrien took one sip and scrunched his face up in confusion, "tastes weird... not bad..." Marinette laughed at Adrien's reaction and he rolled his eyes. A time later, it was finally time for the father daughter dance.

"This is a special time for fathers and daughters, so please find your partners and enjoy your time together," Madame Baron announced into the microphone as Marinette, Louis, and Hugo wished the two good luck as Adrien and Emma made their way to the dance floor. Adrien and Emma grinned as she tried to tiptoe so she could lessen the height difference;it didn't make much of a difference.

"You know how to waltz Emma?" Adrien asked as Emma pouted, thinking about it for a second before answering. He found her pouts to be adorable.

"I mean, just a little, but I'll try my best!" Emma determinedly said as Adrien chuckled and nodded.

"Good, because I want you to follow my lead, I may not be your father, but I can make this dance special for you," Adrien murmured as Emma frowned slightly before smiling softly. It frustrated her a little to hear him say that even though he is her father. However, she wanted to make the best of her time with him, that's what she resolved when she asked him.

"I trust you Mister Agreste, it feels nice to have someone who's almost like Daddy dance with me, I've never known him. He was gone during Louis' time so I never met him. But this feels warm, comforting, reminiscent of what it would feel like if I had a daddy," Emma murmured as she swayed with him. Adrien narrowed his eyes at her speech; so she never met her father and he was gone even when Louis was born, what kind of father was this person? It's all the more the reason to give her a special dance.

"Alright Emma, I know, that's why we're gonna do this together," Adrien gave his signature smile and Emma immediately brightened as she nodded okay. The music soon started playing and Adrien and Marinette recognized it as Anchor by Mindy Gledhill. It was a beautiful song with the starting waltz-reminiscent piano notes, "follow my steps in the direction I'm going."

(A/N: Listen to the song while they dance, it's incredibly beautiful for this sort of dance. It's Anchor by Mindy Glendhill I think)

When all the world is spinning round like a red balloon way up in the clouds

And my feet will not stay on the ground

You anchor me back down

Adrien and Emma moved in a flowing waltz, with Emma paying extra close attention to the way her feet were moving with Adrien. She giggled when he spun her around and led her to dance to the middle of the dance floor. All she could see was Adrien and her mom recording the dance with tears in her eyes.

I am nearly world renowned as a restless soul

Who always skips town

But I look for you to come around

And anchor me back down

They both swung their hands up in a half crescent motion and Emma giggled as he spun her around halfway and then the other way before holding her to his body, her small back against his stomach.

There are those who think I am strange

And they box me up and tell me to change

Emma tried to twirl out of his grasp but she was playfully grabbed and with her hands outstretched as if she was held back. Adrien smiled as he brought her back and dipped her with her right leg kicked out straight and brought her back up again. He waltzed with her again and spun her halfway so he could hold her close again. Emma couldn't stop smiling, it felt as though she was dancing on a cloud, it was so graceful. She stepped on his shoes a couple of times but he didn't mind at all.

But you hold me close and softly say that you wouldn't have me any other way...

It was at this point that Adrien let go over her and she was just standing there in the spotlight. The pause in the music was also killing her as she could feel everyone's amazed eyes on her but Adrien wasn't by her side. It scared her but when the music started again, she felt a pair of hands grab hers and spin her outwards so her dress would spin with her. When she spun back in, she felt a warmth bloom in her heart when she saw his smiling face again.

When all the world is spinning around

Like a red balloon way up in the clouds

And my feet will not stay on the ground

You anchor me back down

They continued waltzing for the rest of the last verse before they slowed down. He softly spun her around one more time until she was facing him again with their hands in the starting position. With the final piano notes, they both grinned at each other. Their grins were identical too, she really was a daddy's girl. When the song ending, Emma and Adrien could just hear the loud cheers and whooping of Marinette, Louis, and Hugo.

"Oh my god! THAT WAS AMAZING! I am so glad I have that recorded!" Marinette yelled, a huge smile present on her face. Louis leaned over with his own phone and grinned.

"Got it recorded too! Emma you were beautiful out there little sis!" Louis cheered as Hugo added to the praise, it was more like yelling and screaming at this point.

"Phenomenal dancing Mister Agreste! You two had me entranced the entire time!" Hugo clapped loudly as the three continued to cheer and Emma and Adrien could hear the applause from the other families. Emma blushed a deep crimson as she heard the applause from her classmates. Her embarrassment was worsened when she felt a pair of warm arms hoist her up onto their shoulders and Emma looked down with a small yelp to find Adrien smiling up at her.

"Drink it in Emma, you were amazing. You get your dancing from your mom. I danced with her once, her dancing is as good as her baking," Adrien grinned as bounced his shoulders a little so she would yelp in surprise. She couldn't help but smile wide, it was as though in that moment, everything was perfect. She felt like she was at the top of the world. She looked over towards the announcer stage to find Madame Baron smiling warmly at her, she couldn't help but smile back.

"It's strange... he's supposedly just a family friend and yet I've never seen her happier. They look so incredibly similar: the same blond hair and green eyes, some could suspect that he is her father... wait... is he her father? They seem like a perfect match." Madame Baron thought as she saw Marinette clap her hands together and suggest they should take a group selfie. Hugo got on Louis' back and they were on the left of Marinette in the picture while Emma leaned down slightly so she could be in the frame and she was in an adorable pose with Adrien. Hugo looked over Louis' shoulder so he could be seen and Marinette was in the middle, it all looked so adorable.

"We'll all remember this night that Adrien gave Emma the most memorable dance!" Marinette grinned as she took the picture. It was one of those she could remember forever. Another song came on and Adrien grinned wide as he set Emma down and he clapped his hands together. It was "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go!" By Wham!

"This, is my jam! Come on Emma! Up for another round!?" Adrien asked as Emma cheered and started to dance with him again.

"Heehee, of course!" Emma laughed as they continued to belt out really funny and weird dance moves. Adrien noticed that Hugo and Louis were watching them, entranced by their weird dance moves.

"Come on! Louis! Hugo! Join the fun!" Adrien held out his hand to which Hugo grinned and took and like in a chain, Hugo also grabbed Louis' hand and dragged him in too. They were all laughing and enjoying their time together and Marinette watched gratefully from the sidelines. She then felt a presence fill in next to her and she looked to find Chloe smirking at her.

"Oh Chloe! What a surprise! How was Elena's dance with Luka?" Marinette asked as Chloe scoffed and smiled.

"Well, for one, Adrien and Emma kinda stole the entire show. But it was nice, believe or not, and don't record this Marinette, but I'm gonna miss watching Elena dance with her father," Chloe said wistfully as Marinette 'awed' and held her hands to her heart.

"Awww, you actually care for once! I am so proud!" Marinette giggled as Chloe waved it off with a humph.

"Yea yeah, don't patronize me. But you know, it does feel nice to see Adrien where he belongs," Chloe said softly as Marinette looked back at Adrien, who was laughing with Louis about a really funny move they made, "it's with you and your kids. He's found a place where he truly feels like a family with. He may be a dense idiot who can't figure out for his life that those are his children but he'll come round."

Marinette laughed as she looked appreciatively at Chloe, "Thank you Chloe, it means a lot. But yeah, he's found a place where he's happy, and I couldn't be happier too. His kids love him, I hope he feels that. But... there's always a shadow that lurks... a storm that brews during the calm of the former. I'm just glad for the time being that he got to dance a special dance with his daughter."

"Those two make quite a team," Luka chimed in as Marinette looked gratefully at him.

"They do, do they," Marinette replied as Adrien noticed she wasn't joining and bounded up to her, "Wha- Adrien?!" Adrien winked at her before taking both of her hands in his and dragging her to the dance floor with her kids, "Wait! Adrien! I'm not really a good dancer!" Marinette said through laughs as Adrien smirked at her and spun her around, trapping her in his arms and feeling his warmth. She swore she could feel Luka and Chloe's smirk.

"Oh, we both know that's not true, you can definitely dance, I've seen your skills up close before. I just gotta bring it out again! Come on!" Adrien said teasingly as Marinette laughed and started moving her feet to the quick beat, joining her free hand with Louis', "there you go! You still got it Princess!"

"I don't remember the last time I had this much fun!" Marinette laughed as Adrien scoffed and leaned in so he could whisper in her ear.

"Then you obviously need to get out more, luckily, I'm here to liven you up again! Where's that smile?" Adrien asked as he picked her up by the waist and spun her around, making her laugh.

"It's here it's here! Don't worry! It's not going anywhere!" Marinette laughed as she felt Adrien press his forehead to hers, making the kids smirk at the gesture as they continued to dance. Feeling his breath on her, it's enough to make her breathless all the time, his power is insane.

"Good, because I love seeing your smile, and it's here to stay," Adrien murmured as he drew back so he could include the others in their dance. Marinette couldn't help but smile so much since she finally felt alive again. She could finally give to her kids what they need and she could regain what she has been missing. And it's all thanks to Adrien... thank you for taking Emma out for this magical night. It means more than you know... truly... but I have a premonition it won't last, this feeling. I want to cherish the time I have left and I want to thank you for giving that time Adrien. I hope you get to make lasting connections and memories with the other two, I believe you can, I know you can!


	18. Chapter17:AFatherSonAddress

Author's Note: Hey everyone! SnivyLord here and welcome to Hugo's chapter. These three chapters are basically chapters where each sibling gets a one on one chance to bond with Adrien. I hope you enjoy Hugo's chapter and prepare yourself for Louis' as it is a doozy. Also, keep in mind that I have every chapter pre-written until Chapter 24, meaning that I am still writing. So enjoy them because I don't want to keep you waiting, as I am releasing 2-3 chapters a day to give myself time. So, without further ado, enjoy!

"AHHH! There is seriously no way I'm gonna finish this in time!" Hugo groaned in frustration as he stared aimlessly at his computer. He was in a predicament; he had to somehow write a speech about Napoleon and the French Revolution and come to a conclusion about whether Napoleon's intentions were good. All in one insightful speech, isn't that a little too much to ask from an 8-year old?! "Useless. Brain. Think! What can you write about a guy who got exiled twice and died in exile?!" Hugo growled at the screen as he stared at what he had so far, which was only the heading. Louis had noticed he had been having some trouble and he stared from Hugo's bedroom doorframe as Hugo ghosted his fingers over the keyboard but never typed.

"Yo, Hugo, it's only Saturday, don't you have to present that on Tuesday?" Louis asked as Hugo laid back in his chair and groaned again.

"Yes, but Louis, you seem to have forgotten it's not just writing the speech I have to worry about, but actually saying it out loud," Hugo shivered at the thought of public speaking. Louis chuckled as he came in and slugged an arm over his brother's shoulder.

"Ahh, I forgot you have a slight case of stage fright, I mean, you just have to practice speaking in front of people," Louis ruffled Hugo's hair, who giggled slightly at the gesture.

"Yeah, I can speak in front of you, Mom, Emma, Auntie Alya, Uncle Nino, Gavin, and pretty much anyone I know personally. This is gonna be a class full of Emma and I's fellow students," Hugo explained as he continued to panic, "it's totally gonna be a disaster!

"You're starting to sound like Mom, you've got this, trust me, all you need to do is practice," Louis laughed as his eyes flickered back to the blank document that is Hugo's speech, "first things first, you need to actually write the speech before you can say it." Hugo looked gratefully at Louis, who bit his lip as he looked at the info Hugo had gathered on Napoleon.

"So you're gonna help me?" Hugo asked hopefully as Louis let out a small laugh and continued to look over the research.

"Well, I have a lot of experience doing this stuff, but more importantly, I'm gonna be listening to this speech too so I gotta make sure it's not a total snooze fest or you're gonna drive me insane trying," Louis smirked as Hugo laughed and lightly punched Louis in the shoulder to which he scoffed, "I'm helping you and this is how you repay your big brother?"

"Oh put a sock in it," Hugo said while laughing as him and Louis started typing in what he wanted to say. Here and there, Hugo was typing in bits of his speech is which Louis made comments.

"The phrasing's kinda awkward Hugo."

"Don't use colloquial diction, you need to sound intelligent."

"What does colloquial even mean?"

"Don't use simple, boring, basic vocabulary, you're the smartest kid in your class, how are you stuck on vocab?"

"Hey! Give me a little credit! By smartest, I mean in math! But-."

"No buts, come on, you gotta think of more formal diction than "mean," what can you think of?"

"Ummmm... maybe? Condescending?"

"Atta boy Hugo! Just keep replacing your words with complicated words that you actually know the definition to."

"Alright!"

"Semicolon here, and there's a double negative."

"What where?!"

"Here."

"Oh ok, thanks Louis."

This sort of conversation went well into the afternoon. Finally, the brothers were finished and they had a speech that could pass for a professional debate. Hugo sighed as Louis sat back in the chair he was sitting on and sighed.

"How long was your speech supposed to be again?"

"About 2-3 minutes? Why?" Hugo asked as Louis looked at the speech they wrote and sighed contently.

"Yep, you have enough ammo to last that long," Louis grinned at Hugo, who smiled but then frowned.

"Wait, what am I going to do about my public speaking skills, can you help me?" Hugo asked as Louis sighed and put his interlaced fingers to his lips as if he was thinking about it.

"No can do little bro, I'm kinda sucky at public speaking myself, I never really figured out how to not talk fast because I have a habit of rushing my presentations," Louis scratched his neck in nervousness as Hugo groaned loudly and put his face into his hands.

"Great! Who's gonna help me now?"

"Beats me... maybe Mom?" Louis suggested as Hugo snapped his head up to look at Louis for a moment before they both broke into laughing hysterics.

"AHAHAHAHA Maman?! Stop joking with me Louis!" Hugo hunched over, quickly losing breath from the amount of laughing he was doing. Louis clutched his stomach in pain as he continued to laugh.

"HAHAHAHA! I don't even know why I said that! Mom is so bad at this sort of thing!" Louis laughed as Hugo snickered through shuddering breaths.

"Then why did you suggest her?!" Hugo asked as his hand reached for his bedside drawer and fished out his inhaler. Hugo brought the inhaler to his lips and puffed two times so his asthma would go down.

"To lighten the mood," Louis laughed as he rubbed Hugo's back comfortingly as if he helping his lungs calm down.

"Well, jokes aside, there's really no one who can help me with this," Hugo sighed as he put away his inhaler and stared at the computer screen. Maybe there was someone who could help him, he just wasn't here yet.

"ACHOO!" Marinette wiped her nose with a tissue as she edited some designs that she needed to finish for the collaboration between Gabriel Fashion and Style Queen Magazine. Emma, who was eating a sandwich at the kitchen table, giggled.

"You know Maman, when you sneeze, it means that someone's talking about you!" Emma happily munched on another bite as they heard the doorbell ring. Marinette smiled and stood up, scoffing at that superstition.

"You know sweetie, that really is a superstition, but I guess you could say that's partly true," Marinette reminded Emma as she opened the door to find a smiling Adrien, "oh Adrien! What a surprise! Did you just come from a modeling shoot?" Marinette asked as she gave him a quick hug before stepping back inside to let him in.

"I was actually, and I thought to visit you guys after the shoot was over," Adrien winked at Marinette, who giggled lightly before heading into the kitchen. Emma waved extremely enthusiastically through a mouth full of sandwich so she couldn't say anything.

"Hold on, I'll get you a cup of coffee."

"Coffee would be great."

"Hey... do you hear that?" Louis asked as Hugo quieted down to hear a pair of voices outside the door. Hugo listened closer and recognized the voice immediately with Louis, breaking out into a large grin, "it's Dad!"

"Daddy's here!" Hugo cheered as he was about to bolt out the door but Louis stopped him.

"Remember Hugo, we can't call him that in front of him ok? No matter how much we want to." Louis warned as Hugo nodded.

"Of course, I'm not stupid... Daddy's here!" Hugo couldn't help but smile since he found the person who could help him. Who else could he ask but his own dad if all else fails right? Hugo raced down the hall with Louis right behind him to find their mom and Adrien chatting in the kitchen. Marinette, who was sipping a cup of orange juice, noticed them and smiled at them.

"Hey guys, how's the speech been going? Louis, I hope you didn't write the whole thing for him," Marinette warned as Hugo put his hand over his heart in mock defense as Louis smirked.

"Maman, I thought you knew me better than that. Of course I do my own work. He only watched my grammar and sentence phrasing, I am frankly insulted that you would think I would let Louis write it for me. Plus I do a better job than him anyway," Hugo joked with a sly smile, earning a firm ruffle to his hair.

"Hey! Says the one who needed me to check the way he writes his sentences! Who was the one who was practically begging their older brother to help him write a speech that he had no idea how to start? You would have been stuck with the heading hadn't it been for me," Louis snickered back as Hugo sent an appalled glare at him as he laughed and leaned his elbows on the counter.

"Hmph, I will make no comment."

"Only cause you know I'm right," Louis wiggled his eyebrows amusingly at Hugo, who lightly assaulted his brother with a small whine.

"So what's this speech you guys are writing?" Adrien asked with an amused smile as they stopped bickering and explained to him.

"So, I have to write a speech about the true nature of Napoleon's actions toward France and the French Revolutions and whether those of his actions are actually good," Hugo explained as Adrien nodded in understanding and Louis continued for him.

"So we wrote the speech, but the only problem is that Hugo doesn't do huge crowds and he tends to screw up a lot when he has to speak in front of large crowds so now he doesn't know what to do to fix that," Louis said as a matter of factly as Hugo couldn't even get mad that Louis explained it like that, cause it's true. Adrien nodded before pressing a curled finger to his lips, deep in thought.

"Hmmmmmm... so a case of stage fright huh, I see," Adrien murmured as the two, including Emma, who looked at him worriedly. He then looked up with a smile and laced his fingers, "well your mom can't help you there since that's where you inherited the lack of communication skills-"

"Hey!" Marinette interjected indignantly as Hugo and Adrien laughed at Marinette, who swiped her coffee mug off the table and huffed at the both of them before casting a side glance at them, leaving the room, "I'll have you know I'm doing a whole lot better with the whole lack of communication, hmph."

"Hehehe, alright Hugo, we'll work on some techniques to help you while you're speaking. I've spoken for a lot of A-List events and charity galas, I know exactly how to do this sort of thing," Adrien reassured Hugo, who gave Adrien a bright smile. Later, Adrien and Hugo were sitting on the couch with Adrien starting off on his lecture for better public speaking, "Alright Hugo, when you speak, the most important thing you can do when you're speaking is to take a deep breath between spaces in your speech."

"How can you not breathe when you're talking?" Hugo wondered aloud as Adrien continued to explain.

"Sometimes, when you speak and go on for a very long time, you forget to breathe so you end up choking on your words and you forget to pace yourself-"

"Yeah! That happens to me all the time! I don't know what's wrong with me!" Hugo exclaimed as he waved his arms dramatically and Adrien laughed.

"No No, Hugo," Adrien said through laughing, "it's just an innate feeling of panic that we feel when we need to talk, we forget that we need to breathe and we end up choking, it's perfectly normal." Adrien explained as Hugo's initial panic died down. His reassurance somehow meant everything to Hugo, hearing advice like that from his dad's mouth.

"So I just have to remember to breathe, ok, sounds a little easier said than done but..." Hugo trailed off as Adrien reassured him.

"When you notice that you're definitely rambling, you do that. Also, if you feel a little too nervous with all their eyes on you, another thing you can do is to look at one's forehead," Adrien recommended as Hugo looked at him in confusion, shifting his bottom on the couch.

"Look... at their forehead?" Hugo asked as Adrien nodded.

"It'll look like you're looking at us in the eyes, but you're gonna look a little bit upward so you're just looking at their forehead, that way, you won't have to deal with cowering before the audience's piercing eyes," Adrien explained as Hugo nodded in understanding.

"Oh yeah, I remember reading something about the maximum amount of seconds you can stare at somebody before laughing is 5-8 seconds for most people, I'll try really hard not to laugh." Hugo pulled a determined look as he looked at the speech he printed out.

"Well, I don't think you would laugh, but you will get extremely unnerved by their stares so keep that in mind ok?" Adrien asked as Hugo nodded in understanding and the two of them got to work. Adrien taught Hugo how to be confident yet calm while speaking, to look around the audience from time to time to look like you're actually speaking to all of them, change the tones of your voice so you don't sound like a robot, and hand gestures. A few hours later, Hugo grinned excitedly at the progress he was making in becoming a great public speaker. He practiced in front of Adrien and his family a couple of times and he panicked a couple of times but he continued to improve. Soon, Adrien had to leave because he had some business to attend to, Hugo accompanied him to the door and Adrien turned around right before he was about to turn the doorknob and set both his hands on Hugo's shoulders, "I have the utmost confidence you can do this. You're a fast learner, I know you'll do great."

"Thanks Mister Agreste, I promise, but you know... it would mean a lot to me if you could be there when I deliver my speech," Hugo suggested as he looked at anywhere but Adrien's eyes and he heard a small chuckle come from the man.

"Of course, wouldn't miss it kiddo, I'll see you on Tuesday, remember to practice those exercises," Adrien winked as he turned to leave. Hugo grinned and nodded his head vigorously. His will, his confidence, felt like they were revived and it was all thanks to him: his dad. Hugo took those lessons to heart, he practiced for the two remaining days he had until he would have to present the dastardly piece of paper. Hugo could just feel the chill running down his spine as he and his family approached the assembly hall and his legs turn into jelly.

"You know... on second thought, maybe I can't do this after all," Hugo said nervously as he felt a pair of hands shove from behind and into the hallway that led into the assembly hall.

"Oh no Hugo, you're doing this, no backing out," Hugo heard Louis say as Hugo tried to dig his heels in so Louis couldn't push him but Louis was too strong.

"You can't make me!" Hugo yelped as he felt a huff from behind him.

"Oh yes I can, and you're saying this speech, not after what Dad did for you!" Louis argued as Hugo sighed and looked uncomfortably at the stage where the podium was. It was an unusually large audience, more than what he would like, but beggars can't be choosers. Marinette walked up next to them and squatted down so she could caress Hugo's cheek.

"Your brother's right Hugo, you've made it this far, why not take it all way? I know it's a lot for an 8 year old but I have absolute faith in you, after all, you're my son, and Dupain-Cheng's don't quit," Marinette looked at Hugo straight in the eye and smiled as she brought Hugo in for a hug.

"Ok... I can do this... I can definitely do this... by the way Maman, is Mister Agreste here yet?" Hugo asked as he ceased pushing back against his brother's hands and walked forward into the assembly hall. Marinette checked her phone as they walked in, a frown creasing her face, she shot a concerned look at Hugo.

"Well... he said he was coming, but I think he's running a little late, I'm sure he'll get here in time. Hugo, you have to get ready, meet Madame Demarquis in the back. We'll sit in the audience ok Hugo?" Marinette kissed Hugo on the cheek before he got a hug from Emma.

"Good luck Hugo! I have faith!" Emma smiled warmly at Hugo before Marinette gently nudged him in the direction of the teacher in question. Madame Demarquis was a rather thin woman with a nonexistent temperament. She had dark blond hair rolling off her in voluminous waves that barely reached her shoulders. She had a white cardigan with a peach blouse underneath with a white pencil skirt and beige heels to match. Hugo followed her behind the curtain and whipped out his speech paper.

"Hugo! Are you ready for your big speech?" Madame Demarquis asked as Hugo chuckled nervously and scratched his neck.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Hugo looked outside the curtain and paled at the amount of people that were filling into the chairs. Madame Demarquis came up form behind him to look at the audience and rested her hands on his shoulders.

"Your family is out there cheering you on, I chose you to deliver this speech for a reason, I know you can do it," Madame Demarquis softly said as Hugo nodded and she nodded to him.

"Alright, I'm gonna announce you now, good luck," Madame Demarquis smiled at Hugo, who gave a nervous thumbs up before she went outside the curtain and he could faintly hear her announce him. God help him now, "Ladies and gentlemen, and fellow students, thank you for coming here today for our History Day, here to speak to us about one of the proudest yet controversial moments in French history is one of our fellow students, Hugo Dupain-Cheng!" He heard her say as he took a deep breath and shakily held his paper. He slowly walked onto the stage and he heard the applause for him. He just didn't feel it as he felt fear seep into his legs and hands. As he looked out where his family was, he saw someone politely push past the people sitting in the row to sit down next to his mom and family. When Hugo realized who the person was, he couldn't help but break out into a huge smile.

"Did I miss it?" Adrien asked as he sat down next to Marinette, who shook her head.

"Quite the contrary, you're just in time," Marinette smiled as Louis and Emma looked over her shoulder to smile at Adrien, who smiled back and looked up at the stage.

"You got this Hugo! Go for it!" Adrien said as Hugo felt the feeling in his legs be purged from his body. He couldn't hear what Adrien said, but he knew somehow that Adrien was telling him to show the audience just how good he can deliver this speech.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, today I am here to speak to you on the behalf on our National History Day," Hugo started, sucking a huge breath, "I wanted to talk to you all about one of the greatest war heroes in our history: Napoleon Bonaparte, he took part in the French Revolution when our country decided that the monarchy wasn't exactly doing a good job. When we thought we gained our independence, Napoleon decided to rule over France as if he was meant to be the king next in line. Now one has to wonder, is what Napoleon did really for the benefit of France? Or was it just for his own personal agenda? He was taught the art of war from a very young age and as a ruler, he was often kind to his family and let his family rule over France with him. However, the evidence lies in what happened afterwards," Hugo continued, suddenly making the mistake to look into people eyes and he suddenly felt panicked. Adrien could tell he accidentally broke his focus and Hugo broke off mid-sentence, suddenly paralyzed by everyone's stares. Hugo then caught Adrien's eye as the latter motioned for Hugo to breathe, refocus and continue. Hugo mentally nodded, refocused on a forehead and continued to talk.

"Thank god, he looked like he was gonna pass out..." Louis sighed a breath of relief as Adrien knowingly smiled and continued to listen.

"Napoleon got exiled. Twice. To the same place. And that place was an island off of Italy and its name was Sicily. The first time he got exiled, he managed to come back and regain power for an instance, but he was exiled again and died in exile. It really does make us question whether his efforts were actually noble. The royalty and Napoleon were condescending towards people like us and yet he was regarded as a fabled war hero. And that's exactly the point; he was great as a general, as a war hero, but then he had to go and attempt to gain more power in the human quest of greed. He should of just stayed a celebrated war genius, instead of marring his name with a failed attempt to gain the power vacuum in France. That is why the debate still remains unclear but I give you, the audience, this moment of clarity: Napoleon should be celebrated as a war hero and he's famous for it, but he isn't worthy of the title Emperor if his intentions were quite the opposite. Thank you for listening, I hope you enjoyed it." Hugo finished as the audience clapped loudly and expressed their acknowledgement towards Hugo. He felt proud. However, the applause that really mattered was the one that came from his family and he could distinctly make out their shouts compared to everyone else.

"WAY TO GO HUGO! YOU DID IT!!!" Emma shouted as she jumped up and down in place.

"YOU DID IT HUGO! THAT'S MY LITTLE BROTHER! YOU COULDN'T EVEN TELL HE HAS STAGE FRIGHT!" Louis laughed, cheered, and clapped with a warm vigor that made Hugo smile.

"That's my darling son, I knew you could do it!" Marinette smiled wide as Adrien couldn't but feel a wave of pride wash over him because Hugo's wonderful speech was thanks to his help. He felt proud, like a father, but he just couldn't tell what the pride was like, and so he thought it was just immense pride.

"ATTA BOY HUGO! YOU'RE A NATURAL! HAHA!" Adrien whooped as people continued to stare at the family. Madame Demarquis looked at Hugo's family with confusion and interest. She's known his family for years but she's never seen Adrien before and he looks exactly like Hugo but with blond hair. Could he be? Hugo came down from the stage and went over to where his family was. There were other presentations and speeches coming but he wanted to sit next to his family. Before he could reach them though, he was approached by Madame Demarquis.

"Very well done Hugo, your family must be proud," She said as Hugo smiled brightly and looked at his family, "although, I've never seen that man next to your mother, who is he?"

"Ahh... him? Well... that's my dad," Hugo said quietly as Madame Demarquis looked at Adrien in shock. That man was Hugo's father? Hugo definitely looked like him but how?

"How come I've never seen him before? He doesn't seem like much like a interactive father if he doesn't come to his kids' displays of their intelligence," Madame Demarquis said but was cut off by Hugo.

"Don't say that about him!" Hugo interjected as he looked softly at Adrien, "Up until a couple of months ago, he didn't even know I existed, it's hard to be mad at a person who never knew. It's complicated because he doesn't even know I'm his son."

Madame Demarquis looked at Hugo in shock as she didn't know what to say, "W-what?"

"Yeah, he doesn't know... but you know what? He'll find out someday, and he'll be there for us for the right reasons. But for now, I'm happy that he even came to support me," Hugo smiled as Madame Demarquis smiled back. Hugo couldn't help but feel tears prick at the edges of his eyes as he continued to talk, "for the longest time, I didn't how to act happy or sad around him or my family in a regular way because of our weird circumstances... and I really wanted to be happy." Hugo tried to wipe his tears away but they just kept coming. Madame Demarquis smiled softly at Hugo before bringing him in for a hug.

"I know it must be difficult Hugo, I can't even imagine what you're feeling right now, but I know that you'll have hardships and miracles. I can't say your path to happiness will be all that easy, but I can say that it'll be worth it," She smiles warmly at him, Hugo finally wiping away his tears of joy and flashing his trademark smile.

"Thanks Madame Demarquis, I gotta get back to my family, I did so good on that speech!" Hugo sported a smug look on his face as Madame Demarquis pushed him along.

"Alright then, go along now."

Hugo ran up to the row of seats that his family was in and he was congratulated and praised to high heaven. He felt proud, certain, like this was the way it was supposed to be. Hugo was happy Adrien got a chance to come to one of his events, it truly made his day. However, he truly hopes that this could be a father-son thing that they could look back on one day and smile and laugh. It's those memories that make their struggle worth fighting for, or at least, that's the will of his mom. However, wills can be broken, it's just a matter of how far they can be stretched thin.


	19. Chapter18:ASon’sFinalRecital

Author's note: HOLY MOTHER OF CRAP, this took so long to write, I wasn't sure how to go about writing this chapter since I had several ideas. However, it finally came together and just took a really long time to write. So I hope you guys enjoy and have a great Valentine's day! I am so sorry though, this chapter hurt a lot and I hope you're all prepared for this. Tell what you think!

Louis could feel himself panicking as he felt his fingers shake over the keys. He didn't know why, but he couldn't play, was he afraid? Taking a shuddering breath, he looked at the song he was playing, it was one of his favorites, he asked his teacher to write an arrangement for him. It was "Don't Speak Her Name" a song from one of his favorite games, Fire Emblem Awakening. It was a beautiful song, but the arrangement that he's playing is hard, and he can barely play it perfectly. Louis then felt two presences next to him as he turned around to find Elena and Gavin looking at the song.

"Geez man, you must be a masochist, this looks so difficult!" Gavin exclaimed as Elena nodded her head.

"It's true, you've always chosen the hardest songs for the longest time I've known you," Elena added as Louis scoffed and smirked a little.

"You guys are just jealous that I like to challenge myself, this song is special, I want to be able to play it with all my heart," Louis sighed as he took his hands off the piano and leaned back slightly. Gavin smirked and gave Louis a friendly shove, brushing his own curly hair to the side.

"That's not what I meant dude, I just don't want you to stress out over it," Gavin started but Elena cut him off and agreed with him.

"Gavin's right, all of your recitals we've been to, you've been perfect, I don't think you should stress out over it," Elena gave Louis a sweet smile as he reasserted himself and laughed.

"You're right, you're right!" Louis tried to tell himself, trying to ignore the fact that his dad was also coming to see the recital. He tried so ridiculously hard to not let that bother him at all since he picked out the song for his mom, but it still gave his stomach a reason to leap and squirm, "other than the fact that this is the first time my dad will see me perform." Louis laughed nervously as Elena and Gavin shot wary looks at each other.

"Ok dude, I think you just need to unwind, you're extremely tense, and since your mom's out right now with your siblings, why don't we have some ice cream and talk it all out?" Gavin suggested as Louis perked up slightly at the suggestion, it did seem like a good idea actually.

"You know what? Why not?" Louis stood up and the three of them made their way over to the fridge to get out the strawberry, lemon, white chocolate triple-layered ice cream vat and served themselves.

"So tell me, why in the world are you so nervous?" Gavin asked as Elena joined them with her own cup, nodding in agreement. Louis sighed as he lifted the spoon to his lips, his tongue tentatively licking the ice cream off. It tasted really good actually.

"I just wonder if Mr. Agreste will even like my piano playing, it's so nerve wracking to even think about to be honest," Louis sighed even harder as Elena gave him a stern look.

"Oh course he's gonna love it, he adores your family, why wouldn't he?" Elena asked as Louis leaned forward on his elbows and twirled the spoon in his mouth. Louis eventually dropped the spoon from his lips and smiled a little.

"Yeah, you're right, it's just those nervous jitters," Louis sighed for the umpteenth time and smiled to himself:

"It'll be fine."

Meanwhile...

"We're gonna see our big brother perform! Isn't this great!?" Emma sang in the car as Hugo softly smiled to himself. He and his sister have always enjoyed Louis' performances; he would always play melodious songs for them when they were younger and Louis could now play amazing songs for the public to hear.

"I mean... we've always seen him perform, his songs are always amazing, he never messes up," Hugo bragged confidently as Marinette eyed both of them from the front mirror and smirked.

"We're going to support Louis at this recital because Adrien is going to watch Louis' performance for the first time ever, you guys saw how skittish your brother was this morning?" Marinette asked as Hugo tilted his head to the side for a moment thinking before he confirmed with her.

"He did act rather anxious this morning, but we got his back and we wouldn't miss his performance for the world!" Hugo agreed as he let out a wide grin and Emma nodded with him. Marinette smiled once more before continuing to drive.

Meanwhile... again...

"It's the boy's recital today, and Adrien is going to be attending... honestly, this farce is starting to get annoying. I thought I made it clear when Miss Dupain Cheng almost died," Gabriel grimaced as he set his phone that was opened to a surveillance app down on the table. Nathalie gulped silently and shifted uncomfortably in her standing position as she continued to stare at Gabriel.

"Gabriel... sir, you're not possibly thinking of doing something else are you?" Nathalie asked carefully as Gabriel sighed and leaned back in his chair as he narrowed his eyes at the woman in question.

"Tch, Nathalie, you know me better than that, of course I'm trying something else," Gabriel chuckled darkly as Nathalie felt herself take an sharp intake of breath. The things that Gabriel's willing to do baffled her, she didn't know what else to do other than just stand there. She could have ran, cried, prayed to dear heaven that she worked somewhere else, but she has to bear witness to this horrifying story.

"What else could you possibly try? Actually you know what? Don't answer that," Nathalie asked exasperatedly before quickly reverting her question as Gabriel chuckled so more, lacing his voice with the dark utter hatred she had grown to feel throughout the years. Sometimes, actually most of the time, she doesn't understand where all this hatred even comes from.

"If targeting Marinette doesn't work, I'll just have to shift the focus from her to the things she's trying to protect," Gabriel murmured as Nathalie took a step back in shock and gripped her tablet tighter.

"You mean?" Nathalie broke off without really expecting an answer.

"Yes... precisely, Louis..." Gabriel answered, earning a look of horror in Nathalie's eyes, "This will be the last recital he ever plays... ever." Nathalie gasped as she looked up at the golden tapestry of Mrs. Agreste, wondering if there was any way to pray for Louis' safety.

"Oh dear Emilie, protect him, your grandson's life is in danger, there's nothing I can do for him."

Adrien made his way down to find Nathalie and Gabriel waiting for him. It was a rare sight to see him though. Every echoing step was filled with anticipation as Gabriel eyed him coldly as Adrien gave him a small obligatory smile.

"Hello father, I assume you know that I'm going to be attending a recital today," Adrien said as Gabriel nodded and Nathalie frantically looked between the two men.

"Yes I am aware, it's the boy, Louis' recital if I remember correctly? The oldest son of Miss Dupain Cheng?" Gabriel said lowly as Adrien nodded and quirked an eyebrow.

"Yes... surprised you remember," Adrien said slowly as he walked past the air and headed towards the door. However, he stopped when he heard Gabriel says something else.

"Well, I'm coming with you, it's been such a long time since I've been to a piano recital, I hope it will be enjoyable," Gabriel murmured as he walked past Adrien with Nathalie following and out the door, "let's go then Adrien, you got cold feet?"

Adrien nodded mutely as he couldn't believe his ears; his father wanted to come to Louis' recital? He barely knows the kid, why in the world would he want to go? However, he knew better than to question his father... but he did it anyway.

"No, no, not at all, it's just... you barely know Louis and it just kinda shocks me that you would want to come to his piano recital," Adrien spoke up as Gabriel looked over his shoulder to look at Adrien calmly. Nathalie felt herself bite her nails as she honestly couldn't tell if Gabriel was one button away from snapping or not.

"Well, a man has a right to change his mind and I don't recommend you question me again," Gabriel replied pointedly before walking out and smirking with Adrien and Nathalie following him, "Then again, it'll be a truly great finale for the boy's story..."

"The finale?" Adrien wondered aloud as he narrowed his eyes at Gabriel; what was he planning? Is he going to do something? Adrien had avoided confronting Gabriel about the blackmail; there was no telling what else he could do, so he decided against it.

It was going to be the finale, a recital that was going to go down in flames; the crucial moment when the important things to hold dear to one's heart becomes clouded with smoke and uncertainty. There is a tragic decision to be made, a decision that makes a love a martyr. Louis straightened out his dark mahogany suit as he ran his hands through his hands through his hair with hair gel, making his curled fringe more of a plateaued fringe. He smiled proudly at himself in the mirror and walked out of the bathroom, earning the admiration of his friends.

"So, what do you think?" Louis asked as he strode out confidently to meet his friends and family, who were waiting for him. They were all dressed up and ready as well, but performers had to be even more formal than their family and friends since it's a requirement. Marinette clapped her hands together and shot him a smile, "you did a pretty good job this time Mom, as usual."

"Of course I did! You look so handsome, just like every other time you performed," Marinette ran up to him and hugged him tight before his siblings bombarded him as well with Louis chuckling happily. He got complimented by Gavin and Elena before all of them proceeded to head to the recital in their respective cars because there was no way Marinette could fit them all and Gavin and Elena's respective parents were already waiting outside so that was convenient.

"Are you excited Lu-Lu?" Emma asked as Louis turned around in the car seat to look at Emma incredulously.

"You haven't called me by that nickname in forever, what did you do?" Louis asked accusingly as Emma brushed him off and smiled.

"No, I'm just happy that Daddy and all of us get to watch you at this recital, it's so special and I just felt like it, I totally didn't do anything," Emma replied as Hugo arched an eyebrow and scoffed.

"Yeah I don't believe her, we all know you'll do great," Hugo grinned as Louis felt a new courage well up from within him. He can do this, he can play both his songs without a hitch. The family smiled as they drove off to the recital hall, the site of Louis' catalyst of martyrdom, the site where multiple destinies converge and Lady Luck loses her smile.

After the family parked and made their way across the street from the parking garage to the prestigious Bourgeoisie Theater, the home of all of Louis' performances. Louis made his way up to the front entrance and was greeted by his piano teacher, Monsieur Lee. Monsieur Lee was a graying man with a tongue as sharp as a tack, he was strict at times but he had a compassionate heart for bonding with his students. Louis regarded him as a musical genius since he had a doctorate as a professor of the musical arts.

"Ah Louis! And Louis' family, always a pleasure to see you, you know the drill," Monsieur Lee smiled warmly at Louis and his family as they walked up to greet him, "grab the program that's inside so you know who's going when, otherwise, I hope your family has a nice time, assuming Louis doesn't mess up," Monsieur Lee joked as Louis rolled his eyes and walked briskly inside with his family sharing a chuckle. Marinette picked up the program paper from the pile next to the entrance and scanned it.

"Hmmm.. Louis, it looks like you're going near the end, and you're playing two songs instead of one this time! Ooooooh!" Marinette looked over Louis' name with the two songs he's playing: "Don't Speak Her Name" by Hiroki Morishita/ Fire Emblem Awakening and "New Alberia" by Dragalia Lost. She's hear him practice the first one, but not the second, so it'll be new for the family. Although, was he practicing that one in secret?

"Alright, Adrien, you head inside the theater first," Gabriel directed as the trio headed from the lobby to the entrance of the theater, which was actually quite large and the stage had spotlights trained on it. The piano wasn't there yet, which was odd, "I have some business to attend to, I believe Miss Dupain Cheng must be arriving now, why don't you join her?" Gabriel gave a curt nod to Adrien before he and Nathalie disappeared down the regal and classily illuminated halls of the Bourgeoisie Theater. Adrien nodded back and noticed Marinette's family heading towards him and when Marinette saw him, she smiled wide and hugged him to which he hugged back with the same energy.

"Nice to see you're early Agreste," Marinette smiled as Adrien smirked back at her and directed his attention towards Louis, who beamed at him.

"Well of course, I'm seeing one of my favorite people perform, I wouldn't miss it for the world, thanks again for inviting me Marinette," Adrien replied as he have cheerful greetings to Emma and Hugo, who smiled at him before heading inside first.

"It's not a problem, alright, it should be starting soon, we should get seated," Marinette brushed her hair back slightly before she and Adrien headed in together, their shoulders bumping slightly. Louis smiled before he headed in, but before he could, an usher came up to him with a slightly nervous air.

"Greetings, you are Louis Dupain Cheng correct?"

"Yes, that would be me," Louis sported a confused look as the usher nodded and gestured his hand towards one of the other hallways in the theater.

"Yes, there is someone who requests your presence, your family has already assigned seats in theater, they are front row VIP guests, and you'll accompany them soon enough, but you have a small business to attend to before you can," The usher said rather quickly and nervously. Louis nodded before smiling apologetically at the usher.

"Alright, relax, you look half scared out of your mind, who needs me?" Louis asked as the usher nodded mutely before turning and gesturing Louis to follow.

"You'll know soon enough, just follow me," Louis followed the usher upstairs and walked down one of the hallways of the theater to stop at a rather fancy conference room door.

"Your host is waiting in the Grand Conference Room, I bid you good day," The usher bowed before leaving Louis at the double doors. Louis took a slow intake of breath before resting his hand on the doorknob and entering the room with a steeled resolve that was almost shattered upon seeing who was inside.

Meanwhile...

"Hey Chloe, Luka, Alya, Nino! I am so glad you guys could make it!" Adrien exclaimed as the aforementioned group smiled and beckoned for the family to come over.

"Elena practically begged us to go, your son better be good Marinette, otherwise this might as well be a waste of time," Chloe murmured as everyone took their seats and Luka shot Chloe a look.

"Well, it's not gonna be a total waste of time, I'm looking forward to Louis' playing... speaking of which, where is he anyway?" Luka asked as Marinette thought back.

"I think he was called to deal with an issue with something with his teacher, I saw an usher request something of him," Marinette thought aloud before suddenly remembering something; she didn't pay it any mind before but she suddenly remembered seeing Gabriel out of the corner of her eye when she met up with Adrien. Marinette froze as she turned to Adrien and quickly got his attention.

"Adrien, is Gabriel here with you?" Marinette asked as Adrien froze as well before nodding.

"Yeah he was, he... displayed a weird interest in coming here today, he's never shown interest to coming to one of these before... you don't think he's gonna try something in broad daylight do you?" Adrien asked as Marinette looked around nervously at the filling theater as more people are started to fill into the seats.

"I don't really know at this point, Adrien, could you go look for him?" Marinette asked as Adrien nodded and placed his hand over hers.

"Don't worry, I'll look for him, it'll be a while before his turn so we have time," Adrien excused himself and went out into the lobby, Louis was nowhere to be seen. He asked around for Louis and he finally placed together fragmentary accounts of Louis heading upstairs and into a conference room at the end of the hall. What would Louis be doing in a conference room? Realizing his worst nightmare would be a pretty good guess.

Louis felt himself freeze as the door closed behind him to reveal Gabriel on the other side of the grand table in the middle of the room. He walked up slowly to the end of the table and narrowed his eyes at Gabriel and Nathalie, who were waiting for him.

"Well well, look who it is: Mr. Fashion Hack Sociopath and his sidekick who doesn't know the meaning of self dignity," Louis sneered at the pair, who tensed right back at him, "I am honestly so tired of you two showing up in the most coincidental places; would you two honestly get a life?!" Louis huffed as Gabriel smirked knowingly at him and Louis felt a pit drop into the abyss of his stomach. It wasn't a good feeling, it never was.

"Oh it wouldn't do for me to not attend my grandson's piano recital-" Gabriel started but Louis cut him off.

"Oh cut the family bullshit! You know that doesn't matter to you and you know it. You always have some sort of deeper aim while disguising it in pleasantries. Well sucks for you, this theater is holding a massive amount of people, it's too public for you to try something here," Louis reasoned angrily as Gabriel held his finger up to his chin and pretended to think thoughtfully.

"You think just because it's public and it could endanger innocent civilians, that's gonna stop me, that's cute," Gabriel said with a condescending manner that made Louis narrow his eyes until it hurt.

"So you would drag innocent people the game we're playing huh? What do you want with my family this time?" Louis asked as Gabriel grinned wickedly as Nathalie looked fearfully between the two. Louis had no intention of backing down from Gabriel's evil agenda, that she could see. However, Louis had no chance even with his admirable courage. That courage was just a mask that was asking to be broken, because the truth is, she could see that he was terrified inside. Louis had a responsibility to be strong, he couldn't afford to show that he was terrified and Nathalie awarded him for that.

"True, my business is with your family, however, what's going to transpire today is going to be entirely of your doing Louis," Gabriel explained lowly as Louis grit his teeth and immediately argued back.

"What do you mean by it's going to be my own doing? What did you do?" Louis asked harshly as Gabriel laughed and lifted what appeared to be a timer on the table.

"You see, you're going to set off a bomb at this recital," Gabriel explained as a matter of factly as Nathalie and Louis' eyes widened and narrowed again at the timer that hasn't started yet.

"A bomb?! You're insane and mentally sick if you think I'm gonna help you set off a bomb in here, there are other people inn this theater and they're gonna think it's a terrorist attack!" Louis scoffed as he turned around and just as he was about to take another step forward, Gabriel stopped him in his tracks.

"I don't really think you have a choice, you see, take a look here," Gabriel explained as Louis took a closer look at the computer screen Nathalie just lifted on top of the table, he could see film footage of the theater and he could see his family in the front row, but Adrien was missing, "there's a reason why your family is in the first row."

"And why is that?"

"The bomb is in the piano," Gabriel answered as Louis' eyes widened and looked closer at the black grand piano on the stage with a newfound horror, but Louis found one more flaw in Gabriel's plan.

"And you need me to detonate the bomb apparently and it's painfully obvious that I am not going to help you," Louis retorted but he had another thought: WHY did Gabriel need him? Another thought he had was since his family was in the front row, they would be within the blast radius, so Gabriel's intentions were like that are they? Louis could now see the dangerous round in the game they're playing now.

"Now, for your ultimatum," Gabriel grinned as Louis turned back slightly towards Gabriel and leered at him.

"Go to hell..." Louis whispered lowly as he continued back to the door.

"Either detonate the bomb by your hand or have your family sniped right within this theater," Gabriel grinned evilly as Louis stopped in his tracks and Nathalie gasped quietly.

"So he was going that far after all, Louis doesn't have a hope in hell now, his story is ending today and his last page will be burned in the explosion. Louis... I'm sorry, you're right, I don't have self dignity and I'm letting this happen to you. Unless a miracle happens, this feud is ending today," Nathalie thought as Louis slowly turned around to stare at Gabriel in horror.

"You wouldn't..." Louis started.

"Try me," Gabriel challenged as Louis grit his teeth as Gabriel continued, "one word from me and you can kiss your perfect family goodbye..."

"You'd even shoot your own son?!" Louis asked as Gabriel scoffed and laughed at him.

"He's thrown in with your lot, he'll go down with you and your family. After all, he is your father," Gabriel replied as Louis yelled back.

"But he's also your son! How could you do this to him! Oh wait! I believe I said it before, you're a sociopath!" Louis exclaimed as he slammed his hands down on the table and glared at Gabriel who raised his eyebrows at Louis.

"So I'm assuming you'll do what I say," Gabriel asked as Louis' face fell as he suddenly realized what the alternate option was and letting it sink in. Check and mate. Louis has lost, in this sick game, there must be pawns that are willing, or at the very least, forced to be sacrificed in the name of the game. Louis became nothing more than a sacrificial piece that struck at the heart of the Dupain Cheng family's defense. Louis looked down at the table, gripping hands together so hard that his knuckles were white. It was his recital with his dad watching, and he was going to die today? Somehow, he hopes somewhere in his heart that his family somehow survives, because it's better than all of them perishing in the blast. Only Louis had to be the one to throw away his life today, not anyone else.

"Alright... what do I do?" Louis asked as Gabriel sported a triumphant smirk and continued to explain. Nathalie said nothing as he started.

"This bomb is special, you see, it activates with your piano playing, there is no timer on the bomb and it detonates when you finish playing. I will shoot your family if you don't finish make no mistake and I'll know that you didn't finish if you try something like leaving the last note out," Gabriel explained as everything felt distant and fuzzy to Louis, it was like he could hear what he was saying, but couldn't comprehend it, "The progress bar for the detonation sequence is in sync with your playing, so it stops when you stop and it detonates when you finish and you'll die. Isn't that a fitting end for such a impudent excuse of a hero? You're not going to save your family, and they'll most likely die in the blast as well, it is a rather powerful bomb. It's not a nuclear bomb, but it does have enough firepower to desecrate the room and barely damage the lobby I surmise."

Louis closed his eyes tight as he thought of any other possible way out of his situation, there was nothing he could do to prevent the bomb. All he could do was just accept it, "Very well, you win Gabriel..."

Gabriel smirked as he concluded their meeting, "By the way, nobody can know that this is going to happen... it was nice toying with your life Louis, your family as well, I do believe I'm going to enjoy watching that room burn with your remains. Farewell..."

Louis gave a blank stare towards Gabriel before turning and going out the door. As he closed the door behind him, he felt tears streak down the sides of his cheeks. The gravity of the situation becoming too much for him, as he weakly took a step forward, he heard a voice from down the hallway.

"Louis! There you are! Where were you? Wait... Louis, are you ok?" Adrien ran down the hall to him as Louis raised his head slightly to get a good look as his dad. Louis couldn't help but step forward to cry in Adrien's chest, wrapping his arms tight around him.

"N-n-n-no... Adrien... you need to take my family and run... Gabriel... he's..." Louis choked out in broken sobs as Adrien tensed and looked at the door in front of him, did he meet Gabriel in there?

"Louis, buddy, tell me what's going on."

"I-I-I can't... he'll... he'll..." Louis tried to say but he ended up choking again and continued to cry into Adrien.

"Louis, it's ok... shhhhh," Adrien comfortingly rubbed Louis' back and leaned his head on top of Louis', "what did my father say to you?"

"Adrien... there's a bomb in the piano... it'll explode as soon as I'm done performing my two songs..." Louis explained weakly as Adrien's eyes widened and narrowed in anger. Adrien then hugged Louis tighter and the two of them began to walk down the hall together.

"Then you just don't play Louis-" Adrien started but Louis cut him off.

"No... it's not a simple as that... he'll kill you and my family if I don't do it, there're snipers in the theater," Louis ended with a weak whimper as Adrien couldn't believe his ears, his father will go to that length just to lord his blackmail over Marinette and her family? There's no way, not without a deeper reason.

"Louis, why is he going to such lengths for this blackmail he has over you and the others? You know don't you?" Adrien asked as Louis tensed as they started down the stairs.

"You'll know soon enough... just please don't tell my mom or the others.. I'll tell them when it's the end... ok? Trust me..." Louis whispered as Adrien slowly nodded but still felt the burning anger within him. This entire situation was maddening. The pair made their way back into the theater and into their seats.

"You guys took a while, Louis, are you crying? What happened?" Marinette asked as the twins looked over the seats to look worriedly at their brother as they took their seats.

"It's nothing... just nerves you know?" Louis lied as the others looked at him weirdly before shrugging and looking back at whoever was performing. Adrien tensed as Louis hid the truth, what was he waiting for? After a long silence in the family, Louis spoke again, "I love you Mom... Emma... Hugo, thank you for being here today."

"Of course Louis, we wouldn't miss this for the world!" Hugo exclaimed quietly as Marinette agreed with him, making Louis tear up even more.

"We love you Louis, we know you're gonna do great, and you're almost up!" Marinette exclaimed as Louis looked weakly at the performer who just just finished and he realized that there was only one more person to go before he dies. There was such a gripping sense of despair that he felt like he couldn't breathe. It clawed at him from the inside and he felt like he didn't have any organs. Finally, his turn arrived and Louis could feel himself shaking as he stood up, without looking at anyone and headed quietly towards the stage. Each step was torture, each sending a chill and numbing feeling up his legs. Louis approached the piano with a look of dismay and horror as he adjusted the seat and sat down.

"This is it... the bomb should go off when I play my second one... so I have time... at least... to take a final look at my family..." Louis thought as he took a deep breath and set his prepared hands on the sleek ivory keys. He started playing, moving his hand up the piano to play grand staffs to open, then she started the song; a soft and emotional ballad that hid the vigor of passion and bravery. Louis felt the music getting to him and the tears stung and blurred his eyes, it was just too much. He abruptly stopped, squeezing his eyes shut and praying that somehow the theater can fall away, the people who were watching to disappear. He prayed and wished for the strength to play would come, but it failed him and his hands laid frozen on the keys. Suddenly Louis felt a presence fill in the space next to him on the bench, and he looked up to find Adrien smiling warmly at him.

"It's ok Louis, I know you're scared, but before you think about giving up, think of the reason why you've held on for so long," Adrien murmured as Louis stared blankly at the keys and Adrien gently set the piano sheets down on the piano, "I won't let you die here."

"Please... please help me..." Louis whimpered as Adrien nodded and continued to play, focusing on reading the notes. Adrien was a master player, he read the notes as he continued along, without missing a beat or a note. Louis felt himself get revived out of his reverie of despair and he smiled for the first time in a while. Renewed with a new courage, he started to play the treble clef of the song while Adrien omitted his right hand from Louis' side of the piano to create a more intricate and complicated bass clef. Soon both of them fell into a harmonious rhythm. The song was so enchanting and alluring; the sound was complementary to a journey of battles and hardships, a lingering sadness loomed over the song. As Louis resolved to tell himself to don't say her name, because he knew it would kill him inside.

(A/N: Alright guys! Try listening to the song "Don't Speak Her Name" from Fire Emblem Awakening, it's a beautiful song, full of heart and emotion. Those who played the game, we both know what's up and when this song is played in the game. The feels man)

Gabriel and Nathalie were also watching in the back of the audience, actually enjoying their performance. Nathalie watched with a pleasant warm feeling as she saw Adrien and Louis, father and son, playing together on that stage. It was a truly moving thing to see. However, at the same time, she was wracked with the feeling of dramatic irony, the sick twisted notion of knowing something that the other person does not know. The guilt was building thanks to the music that rang through her ears.

"Gabriel, sir, are you sure we should be doing this? They seem so in sync, so natural with each other, just like how a father and his son should be like. Are we actually going to ruin a relationship like this?" Nathalie whispered as Gabriel huffed and relaxed even more back into his seat.

"They are the reminder of my mistake, they weren't meant to exist, their entire family was a mistake!" Gabriel muttered angrily as Nathalie argued back.

"But what if this was meant to be? Adrien had always wanted three children of his own and now he has three wonderful kids! This is his dream! His destiny!" Nathalie interjected as Gabriel shook his head and looked at the timer, the detonation sequence almost reaching the halfway point, meaning that Louis is almost done with the first song.

"And you're an utter fool if you believe in things such as fate and destiny, fate has never been kind so why should we believe in its power? This is not Adrien's path, this is merely a setback," Gabriel said coldly as Nathalie bit her lip and felt herself be filled with a newfound bitterness. She could faintly hear the piano duet ending and huge wave of applause shook throughout the theater. She heard comments like: "Wow is that Adrien Agreste?" and "he's such a good piano player!" as well as "A father son duet is a truly beautiful, the way he went up to help his son. Truly moving."

"Thank you..." Louis breathed as he gave Adrien a weak smile as he could barely hear the faint beeping of the bomb in the piano. Adrien gave him a look of concern as Louis stood up in front of the audience and take a bow, "and thank you everyone... for witnessing this beautiful duet... I'm glad I got to play piano not just for him, but with him." Louis turned his head to give Adrien a tearful look, who gripped the piano seat tightly as he heard the beeping as well.

"That was amazing Louis! It was wonderful, absolutely beautiful!" Marinette exclaimed as she joined her hands together and looked at him with a pride she couldn't help but feel herself filled by. She was his mother of course.

"Before... I continue... I wanted to ask everyone to run... run as far away as they can from here..." Louis stated sharply but with a monotonous edge that scared the audience. The audience was buzzing with confusion and murmurs could be heard throughout the theater, "I want you all to leave when I play my next and last song... if me telling you isn't enough, then perhaps an ultimatum will. Isn't that right Gabriel?" Louis looked straight at Gabriel, who clenched his jaw and narrowed his eyes back at his grandson.

"And just what kind of game do you think you're playing? Do you seriously have a death wish?" Gabriel asked as Louis looked unfazed as Marinette turned back towards Gabriel with a furious energy that screamed hatred. The others as well looked back at the fashion designer with a horror and confusion that failed to understand what this ultimatum is.

"A game where only one pawn has to die today." Louis replied as Adrien felt his heart clench at those words, "there's a bomb in the piano with enough explosive power to severely injure or kill everyone in this room. In light of this fact, I have to ask you all to leave." Those words were enough to send everyone into a panic as people made way to the exits and panicked screaming could be heard, echoing through the grand dome of the theater. Nathalie, who was observing, used this chance to slip out and pay a certain group a visit; while Louis was keeping Gabriel occupied, she knew what she had to do.

"Marinette! What are you going to do?" Alya asked as Marinette never took her eyes off of Gabriel and replied slowly.

"You guys get out of here, this is our fight," Marinette murmured as Alya slowly nodded and headed out with Chloe and the rest of the family.

"Nino, we need to call the police now! Their lives are in danger if what Louis says is true!" Alya pleaded as Nino nodded and quickly dialed the police, frantically glancing between the theater doors and his friends and family.

"Now Gabriel, what did you do!?" Marinette asked as Hugo and Emma looked on Gabriel with looks of utter terror.

"There's a bomb in the piano that responds to Louis' playing, when he finishes the second song, the bomb will explode. Simple as that. Louis has to do it or else," Gabriel explained and just when he said that last part, multiple lasers shot from openings in the ceiling balcony and were trained on the heads on every family member in the room, "you all get shot."

"So is this it? Your master plan to get rid of us? Gabriel! Seriously, I don't get why you would go to such lengths to kill us!" Marinette yelled as Adrien felt his anger boil and he angrily chimed in as well.

"Father, what did Marinette ever do to deserve this? What did any of them do?!" Adrien asked as Gabriel snarled back at him.

"And yet you boy don't have all the facts! I'm trying to save you from making my mistake with your mother!" Gabriel yelled as Adrien stood up and yelled back from the stage.

"And yet you and I are completely different people Father, Mom had no part in making your mistake so why should Marinette? You're the reason why Mom is in a hospital bed barely showing any vital signs to begin with!" Adrien barked back exasperatedly as Louis looked on and softly put his hand on his shoulder, "Louis?"

"Adrien... thank you... truly... but honestly I'm done... with all of this, I'm just glad I got to play piano one last time... with my dad," Louis cried as Adrien felt his mind pulse aggressively and do a complete 180.

"W-w-what? Dad? Louis I'm not," Adrien started but Louis softly cut him off as he started to play his last song.

"Wait Louis! Don't!" Marinette started but she didn't know what to say next.

"You are... Dad... Mom and I were lying before... the first time you found out and said we said it was joke. It was just a lie. As if it isn't that obvious? You really are dense Dad," Louis chuckled as he played the song slowly and gracefully.

"W-what? Louis... I really am your dad?" Adrien asked as he felt his heart swell and his body couldn't contain the sparking, giddy feeling. In his heart, he was so happy and glad that these kids that he got to know so well and grown to love are his kids. It was no wonder he took such an immediate liking to them.

"Hugo and Emma... are your twins too... you have three wonderful kids... that I'm glad you finally got to meet us as your kids," Louis murmured as Adrien turned to look at Hugo and Emma, who sent him tearful smiles. Adrien then looked at Marinette, who was crying and nodded at him, "finally... now I can be at peace..."

Nathalie climbed up the twisting stairs to the balcony of the theater and found herself in a secluded hallway with a circular view of what's going on below. She soon found the snipers and they looked at her in surprise when they finally noticed her presence.

"Lady Nathalie, what are you doing up here?" One of the snipers asked as Nathalie cleared her voice and spoke.

"I would like to ask you all to lay down your weapons and cease this madness at once," Nathalie said firmly as the snipers looked at her in confusion, however they didn't do anything as the sniper continued.

"Wait what? We were given specific orders to shoot the Dupain Cheng family if the boy refuses to play the song," The sniper argued as Nathalie's eyes flickered to the scene unfolding below.

"And think about what you're doing! You're killing a young boy's family, not to mention your employer's son. They didn't do anything to deserve this and do you really want the murder of an entire family on your conscious?" Nathalie asked as the snipers looked at each other with uncertainty as the laser pointers started wavering.

"Gabriel said we're doing this for Adrien's happiness," the sniper started but Nathalie cut him off.

"Really? And you think killing Adrien's family and the love of his life will accomplish that? Adrien needs to branch off and become his own man, and not follow in his father's shadow. Adrien is fighting for the right thing: a family, and he doesn't need this," Nathalie pleaded as the snipers looked at each once more as the piano playing continued. After another moment, the snipers nodded and lowered their guns.

"Alright, we'll back off, tell Lady Marinette later that we're sorry ok? We'll be leaving now," The sniper said as the rest of the squad went further back down the hallway and out of view. Nathalie let out a huge sigh of relief and had an epiphany as the melody of the piano hit her ears again.

"Oh god, Louis is still playing, I have to stop him, and he can't hear me from here. No no no no no no no!" Nathalie panicked as she ran back down the hallway and rushed to stop Louis.

"Marinette, why did you never tell me!? That these kids were ours?! I would have been there for you!" Adrien asked as Marinette wiped a tear away and nodded.

"I know... I know you would have been there for me. I never doubted that for a second... however, it wasn't you who found out first and got to me first..." Marinette trailed off but she didn't know how to continue but Adrien did as a flash of guilt crossed his face.

"My father got to you first didn't he? Oh god Marinette, I am so sorry and I know those words aren't even enough... but how are the twins mine?" Adrien asked as Marinette looked to the side to avoid his gaze, but she explained anyway.

"Remember when Chloe stole your sperm sample and tried to artificially inseminate herself?" Marinette asked as Adrien nodded and grimaced slightly at the memory, "well... there was a mix up, the doctor had to lie to you because I asked them too." Adrien looked at her incredulously as Louis tried to play as slowly as possible to buy more time.

"Alright, but how do you know that?"

"I was the hospital too, that day... you were under the misunderstanding that the insemination just didn't give. At least, that's what the doctor told you, however, the truth is, it did... but just with the wrong person," Marinette explained as Adrien put the pieces together and looked blankly at her.

"You mean?" Adrien asked and Marinette nodded.

"Yes, there was a mix up and I accidentally got artificially inseminated with your sample. I kept the twins without a second thought, and that's how my fate was sealed," Marinette explained as Adrien reached his hand out to cup her face.

"Marinette... I am so sorry... you must have been through so much, I've been kept blind to everything. And now it's come to this," Adrien whispered softly as Marinette let more tears falls and Adrien softly swept them away with the gentle brush of his thumb.

"Louis, finish the song so this can finally end," Gabriel narrowed his eyes at Louis, who cowered in fear and started to play faster. Adrien narrowed his eyes back at Gabriel and firmly held Marinette by his side.

"Louis, don't play any faster, don't worry, we're all getting out of this alive. Father or should I say Gabriel, you call off those snipers right now, your blackmail now means nothing as I now know that these three wonderful kids are mine," Adrien threatened as Gabriel grit his teeth as Adrien continued to refute his claim, "you made that blackmail under the pretense that it would ruin my career if people found out well guess what Gabriel? I love Marinette and her kids, so it doesn't matter to me. She doesn't have a reason to be afraid anymore, not with me around."

"You know what? Since it's come to this, we'll just let this game have a premature end wouldn't you say?" Gabriel chuckled as he walked to the door and stood outside, his figure illuminated in the doorway. The family then saw him take out a remote from his pants pocket and he held it dauntingly in his hands, "I don't really need to explain what this remote does do I? Cause you'll find out soon enough. Au revoir..." Adrien's and Marinette's eyes widened in terror as Gabriel pressed the button and a loud beeping could be heard, screeching throughout the room. Marinette quickly grabbed both twins and shielded them with her body while they ducked. The beeps increased in speed with each passing moment and Adrien had the sense to run back towards the stage and roughly grab Louis out the chair and tackle him barely off the stage before the beeps became almost like a machine gun and the whole room became awash in flames. From the outside, it looked like the theater part of the building crumbled with smoke and bright light and the glass windows shattered simultaneously. Just as Nathaie managed to get down to the lobby and to the double doors of the theater, she was blown back by the impact and remains of the doors and glass windows shattered everywhere. The screams of the people in the lobby could be heard as Nathalie weakly lifted her head to look at the door in despair.

"No... I was too late..." Nathalie weakly muttered as she saw Marinette's friends frantically rush into the ruined theater to find the family that was now trapped inside the theater.

"Marinette!" Alya screamed as she looked at the remains of the theater. The seats will singed and some seats at the front were completely blown away. The seats were either charred with the blackness of ash or they were aflame. The foundation of the building was crumbing as plaster and wood fell from the ceiling, "Alright guys split up, we need to find any survivors!"

"What?! Are you implying that some of them didn't survive? I won't have your pointless drivel Alya!" Chloe barked as she and Luka went further into the theater. Nino looked worriedly at Alya, who stood there, dumbfounded as she suddenly shook her head and rushed into the theater.

"The ambulance and firemen should be here soon, don't worry," Nino reassured Alya as they both rushed into the theater. Their kids waited impatiently outside as they didn't want them to come into contact with the smoke. Luka continued down the side of the theater, approaching the front when he saw a sight that horrified him. Chloe gasped as they found Hugo slumped against the wall, his clothes burning and smoking. They could see blood coming from his mouth and down his head in several places. His hair was mixed with soot and ash that dulled the familiar blueberry shine he shared with his mother. Luka immediately knelt beside Hugo and held his finger to his neck and nose. Luka then felt his heart clench as he felt a faint heartbeat, but Hugo wasn't breathing.

"Oh god... Hugo, let's get you out of here," Luka coughed from the smoke and lifted Hugo up into his arms and breathed a sigh of relief as he heard the familiar sirens of the police. Chloe gasped as she looked around through the smoke and gasped as she saw a familiar head of blond hair: Emma. Chloe covered her mouth as she came closer to inspect the girl and almost retched when she did. Emma was sprawled out unnaturally against the seats, ash and blood mixed with her hair. Her arms were burning and a good portion of the skin was burned away. Blood was also coming out of her mouth and ash streaked across her face. Chloe didn't think to check for vital signs but she immediately picked the girl and shouted.

"Alya! Nino! I have Emma and Luka has Hugo! Find the others!" Chloe called as she quickly exited the theater with Luka. Alya continued to look as she stepped into the middle aisle to find Marinette lying face down, most of her blue overcoat has burned away. Marinette slowly lifted herself up on one elbow, her other hand pressed against the ground, her face burned and bloodied from the blast.

"Marinette! Oh my god! What happened!? We have to get you out of here!" Alya exclaimed as she dodged a piece of flaming wood that was falling down and knelt down beside Marinette, her arms ready to lift her up.

"Alya... help Adrien and Louis... don't worry about me..." Marinette said in a raspy voice that was barely recognizable and slumped back down again, letting out a final breath as Alya panicked and immediately tried to pick her up, but she didn't have the strength, "help him... please save him... please..." Alya was at a loss for words as Luka entered back in and picked up Marinette, gently nestling her in his arms.

"I've got her Alya, help Nino and Chloe find the other two," Luka murmured as Alya nodded and covered her mouth once more. Alya met up with Nino on the stage and looked around, the piano blown to smithereens and a huge crater was in its place. The walls around the stage have been completely blown off and Alya looked outside to see the onlookers in the street, ogling at the smoking sight. Alya stepped outside and near the giant hole in the wall, she found two messy but recognizable blond mops of hair. Alya gasped as she stepped closer to examine the younger of the two mangled figures. Louis's hair was singed and burnt halfway down, his face was red and raw with exposed flesh. His suit was ruined and his formerly neat black undershirt remained with brunt holes. His body was absolutely riddled with burns as Alya ripped her eyes away from Louis to examine Adrien. Alya reached forward to touch him but flinched back when Adrien suddenly coughed and forced himself on his knees.

"Ughhhh... Alya?" Adrien asked tiredly as Alya knelt beside him and waved her arm to gesture the firemen that were entering the building.

"Adrien, try not to move, help is on its way," Alya murmured softly as a fireman made its way over and examined Louis, the only indication that he was disturbed by the sight was the grave look on his face. Adrien finally managed to raise his head slightly and looked at Louis.

"Louis... Oh god... sir... please tell me my son is still alive," Adrien asked in such a broken voice that Alya felt herself crying as the fireman checked Louis' pulse and after a moment, gently but quickly picked the boy up.

"He's alive, but he's not ok, there's not a moment to waste, your son could die on the way to the hospital. It's best to say that now than later," the fireman nodded as he took off with Louis' retreating figure. Adrien looked at the fireman in disbelief as he tried to haul himself to his feet but Alya stopped him, "there will be another fireman to assist you, please stay where you are."

"Adrien... stay down..." Alya cried as Adrien fell back down on his behind and looked back at the ruined building.

"How... are the others...? Marinette, is she alright?" Adrien asked as Alya looked away and replied without making eye contact.

"It's best if you don't look at them... Emma and Hugo are really bad, this isn't going to make you feel better but they looked like someone murdered them. Marinette as well... Chloe and Luka got them out. Nino went to go alert the authorities," Alya explained as Adrien looked blankly at the building and then the sky.

"I did this... god, I shouldn't even be near them. My father, or should I say my monster of a father, he's gonna kill them," Adrien murmured as another fireman came and helped him to his feet.

"And how would that make Marinette feel? She waited for you! For 15 years! What would she think if you abandoned them now!?" Alya asked incredulously as Adrien's eyes shaded over with a haze of uncertainty but it cleared when Alya continued, "You have children now! You are 15 years too late but your children have waited forever to meet you! And you are going to step up as their father to protect them!"

"And I couldn't even do that... look what happened here," Adrien murmured as Alya walked with the fireman. He sounded like he was just so tired of everything, ready to just drop everything and fade into complacency.

"You owe it to your kids to be their father, they love you, and you owe it to them to fight against your father. Marinette believes in you... and she always will," Alya murmured as Adrien nodded as he was loaded onto a stretcher and he turned his head to find his children's bodies being loaded into other ambulances. Adrien watched the faces of Hugo and Emma as they had air masks over their mouths and he saw the same on Marinette as he felt his heart drop.

"Adrien, is he ok?" Luka asked as Chloe looked worryingly at Adrien, who was loaded onto the ambulance. Nino sighed as he brushed his hand through his hair and looked at Gavin.

"And he was so excited to see Louis perform today too... he told me before we came here. It meant everything to him to see Louis perform. He saw himself in Louis, that's why he was so proud," Nino murmured as Gavin looked in disbelief as Elena cried into Gavin's shoulder; Gavin gently rubbing her back in comfort.

"How could this day gone so wrong?" Gavin asked as Chloe looked sharply at him, making him flinch back.

"It's Gabriel, that monster who did this... and yet no one can touch him," Chloe gritted her teeth and Alya nodded in agreement.

"Well regardless..." Alya added with the others looking at her with mirrored faces of anger and determination. The smoke billowing in waves off the building, the firemen hard at work to stop the fire. It may well be Louis' last recital... ever.

"He's going to pay."


	20. Chapter19:APreludetoaNightmare

Have you ever wished that dreams could become reality? The dreams we all hold keeps our drive alive, the motivation to want better things. What if there are dreams that aren't worth trying to reach? Dreams, that somehow turn into a living nightmare, it is at that point that it is no longer worth it. Why risk your life on the slim chance that a dream could come true, especially when it can get you killed. A dream is many things, but there's something it isn't and it's a very crucial thing: real. A dream isn't real and yet we grasp for what isn't real. Why is that? Do dreams validate our existence, to give a reason to want more? Marinette wanted more, she had a dream, and so did the rest of her kids. It's simply too bad that most dreams often die... but who's to say that her dream's dead?

"It doesn't look too good Mr. Agreste," The doctor said as Adrien, covered in bandages and pads, looked at the four beds in front of him, each bed occupied by a different Dupain Cheng. Alya, Nino, Chloe, and Luka looked sadly at the family, a myriad of heartbeats echoing in discordant harmony. Adrien had somehow came out with burns that paled in comparison to the others, however, he was to stay at the hospital to recover. The doctors were not sure when the others would wake, but they suspected it would be a while since the lack of oxygen at the time contributed to the uncertainty of their waking, "Louis is scheduled for a reconstruction surgery later since he was burned so badly in the blast that he's no longer recognizable. Thank you Gavin for providing me with the photo to use as a reference."

"It's no problem," Gavin said quietly at Louis, whose entire face was covered in bandages to the point that he just looked like a mummy that was just uncovered by explorers.

"How did it come to this? God... How come... this always happens to me? My family... disappearing before my eyes? My mom might never wake up, my father could barely even be called human, and everyone I love is laid out here in front of me, motionless and scarred beyond recognition. Marinette... you promised... you promised you wouldn't leave me..." Adrien murmured as Chloe rubbed his back comfortingly and took the seat next to him.

"Adrien, I know it's difficult, but you have to hold out hope," Chloe started but Adrien cut her off sharply.

"What hope is there Chloe? Tell me, I... feel like I lost everything... Chloe don't you understand? These kids... are MINE, they are my very own children and I abandoned them, I always hated whoever the father was, leaving Marinette and these wonderful kids on their own. Turns out? It's me who I've hated which is fan-fricking-tastic," Adrien said emphatically as Chloe nodded her head and folded her hands.

"You didn't abandon them dude, you didn't even know they existed and Marinette refused to tell you," Nino reassured Adrien as Adrien put his face into his hands and stared into the blackness of his hands, "so suck it up man, because none of that matters anymore because you know NOW that you have kids who needed you, and what would they say if they saw you moping like this like some sorry little victim?"

"Nino honey, I think that's enough," Alya started but Nino continued.

"No, Adrien, you're an adult now, you have to be able to take life by the horns and steer it away from the herd because the lead bull, aka YOUR FATHER is just gonna stick his horns up your ass and that'll be the end of it. Are you gonna let that happen dude? Because he just did that right now by blowing up that recital hall," Nino huffed angrily as Adrien lifted his head to glance at Nino's clearly ticked off face that softened as he continued, "Are you going to be strong for your family or not? Because we've said this time and time again: you're it for her and she's it for you, and your kids love you, you're their hero. Are you gonna let them down?"

Adrien straightened his posture after a moment and sighed as he took one grateful look at his family and Nino, "No... and even though I make that promise everytime, I meant it... and I always will."

"Atta boy!" Nino laughed heartily as he slapped Adrien on the back, who immediately winced from the pain.

"AH! Nino!"

"Oh, sorry dude, my bad."

"I think we should come back later, we'll be back to visit soon ok Adrien?" Luka grabbed his coat and the others prepared to leave as Adrien nodded and looked at them gratefully.

"Thank you for coming guys, truly."

"It's no problem Adrien, we'll see you later," Chloe smiled as they all left, leaving Adrien alone with Marinette and the kids.

"Marinette... I love you..." Adrien whispered as he leaned in closer so he could see her beautiful blue locks framing her pale face. She looked beautiful, still and peaceful like that. He brought his hand up to grab hers and clenched it tightly. Adrien leaned back, his hand still firmly grabbing hers and he soon felt his heavy eyelids close on him for some reason and he fell into a deep sleep.

Marinette could feel the cold emanating from the ground as she faintly felt her hand being filled with a warming feeling, even though she couldn't feel anything touching it. Slowly Marinette opened her eyes to be greeted to a sight that was completely unfamiliar to her. She was on cold hard stone that was covered with moss and when she propped herself up, she finally focused on what she was seeing. There were floating islands all around her, all covered in mist and clouds circled around them. The sky was blurred by thick wispy strokes of clouds all around, creating a mix of mostly white and blue. The islands were floating on different levels of altitude, all of them covered in some sort of ruins made of stone and a plethora of forest and butterflies. The butterflies were the particular part, there were glowing butterflies flying around in a large number. They were white with a very sky bluish glow. Marinette stood up and she felt her mind draw a blank at what she was seeing.

"What in the world is this?" Marinette asked herself as she stood up and she immediately noticed that her clothes were different. She was wearing a long thin white dress that went all the way down to her legs with a small frilly design at the end. There were light blue accents, trailing around the dress as if they were interwoven with the material. Her arms were covered with a sleeve of matching style, the ends not connecting to the dress but had a feather design to them. In the middle of her hand, there was a blue flower emblem sewn into the sleeve and she had a matching white neck collar to match. (A/N: If you want to know what dress I am talking about, I'm talking Azura's dress from Fire Emblem Fates)

"You're here too Mom?" A voice behind her asked as she turned around to find Louis smiling slightly at her.

"Louis! You're here! This is... an oddly vivid dream," Marinette ran to him and hugged him, smiling into his hair. Marinette noticed he was wearing a long white pea coat that was tied at the waist with a matching belt with light blue butterfly and twirling plant designs embroidered into it. He was wearing a light blue polo shirt and white vest and light blue pants. There's definitely a theme going on here.

"Yeah it's weird, I woke up here not too long ago, I wonder what this place is," Louis asked aloud as Marinette let go and Louis grabbed her hand. The pair heard two more voices as they turned around to find Hugo and Emma running up to them.

"You guys! You're here!" Louis exclaimed as he hugged Emma and Marinette hugged Hugo.

"Maman! You're here!" Hugo exclaimed as he snuggled into her coat as Emma did the same with Louis.

"Hey Lu Lu, why do you think we're all here? I don't remember anything after the blast," Emma thought aloud as Hugo had a sudden revelation.

"Wait are we dead?!" Hugo asked, clearly in a panic as Marinette really couldn't think of an answer. Were they dead?

"To answer your question... you aren't, however, you are on the edge of an endless sleep..." an unknown voice rang into their heads as they all took a step back and scanned around them for a sign of a person.

"Who was that?" Emma asked as the voice rang again, but this time, it's apparent that the voice wasn't coming from a physical being. Its voice echoing throughout the world as Marinette held out her finger and let a butterfly land on it.

"It doesn't really matter who I am... but this is the Dream Realm, the world where your thoughts and emotions will interconnect in tandem to create your dreams," the voice said gently as the family looked around them and saw that four portals appeared, shining with a light blue light and several butterflies were flying around them.

"Ok, this is an extremely lucid and vivid dream," Marinette murmured as she felt Louis' back press against hers and she held the twins firmly by their shoulders, as if preparing for an attack.

"In order to wake up, you all must face your nightmares with an open heart and a clear mind, otherwise, you will never wake up from the abyss of sleep," The voice boomed as a brilliant light suddenly filled all of their eyes and when it subsided, they each found themselves in front of a different portal. They attempted to move away from the sucking force of the portal but they found that their feet were planted into the ground, stiff and unmoving.

"So we're all going to face our own challenge?" Louis asked as Hugo and Emma looked fearfully at the portal.

"It is only by conquering your nightmare will you be granted the strength to move forward when you wake up. If you can't conquer your fears and stay frozen in the face of reality, you might as well stay sleeping for life eternal," The voice explained with a harsh tone as Marinette narrowed her eyes at the portal and sighed.

"Kids... listen to me... no matter how much we want to stay asleep in a world where Gabriel won't stop to silence us forever, we need to face the challenge within our minds with the will to wake up... somehow... someday. I love you three so much, I want to play with you, hold you, support you in any way possible. Adrien thinks the same... he's waiting for us when we wake up, I believe in him, that he will step up as the father and protect you three with all his being," Marinette held her hand over her heart as the three kids nodded and looked at the portal with a new found determination.

"For Papa," Emma whispered with Hugo nodding in agreement.

"For Papa," Hugo repeated as Louis smiled brightly at all of them.

"We love you Dad... we're coming... Mom... we're getting out of this alive, no matter what... but just in case, if we happen to sleep for longer than expected, we love you too," Louis wiped a tear away as Marinette smiled tearfully back at him and whispered back.

"How did I get so lucky to have you as my child?"

"I'm the lucky one Mom... alright everyone, let's do this very weird test that's within a dream," Louis replied as everyone nodded and headed into their respective portal, the island they were one filling with a bright light as the portals and the family vanished, leaving an empty space where the emptiness and loneliness could be felt throughout the world as if there was no one else there.

Marinette felt herself step out of the portal, her feet touching the cold stone ground once more, feeling the fuzziness and moistness of the stone as she looked around and found that she was alone. She was in a place that was similar to where she was before but it was more open. She continued to walk to the middle of the island and looked around as there were stone arches all around the perimeter of the island.

"Where am I?" Marinette asked aloud as she froze suddenly when she heard a voice answer her. She turned around to find a dark entity materializing not too far away from her, its dark aura emanating to the corners of the island.

"Where your fate wills you to be..." The voice answered as the dark shroud disappeared and Marinette gasped at who she saw: it was herself. Marinette kept her mouth wide open in shock as she looked closer as her other self's figure. She saw that she had the same clothes on, but with a different color palette: black and red.

"I know you aren't me, so who are you? Is this my challenge?" Marinette asked as her other self laughed and looked up slightly at her, revealing the glint in her eye.

"Well, you are wrong in that regard," Phantom Marinette chuckled darkly as she continued to where her other self was, who was watching her warily, "I am you in the sense that I am your hatred and your fears incarnate. What you see is what happens when you finally give in to despair at the feet of Gabriel."

"So are you what happens to me in the future?" Marinette asked as her other self leaned from side to side, pressing her fingers to her lips as if the question took a lot of thought.

"I suppose you could say that if you're so desperate to lose hope, then be my guest, I won't stop you," Phantom Marinette sneered at Marinette, who looked sullen for a moment before looking back at Phantom Marinette with a look that instilled a sinking feeling in her other self.

"If you are... then that's all the more reason to stop you, to stop the future," Marinette clenched her fists and Phantom Marinette sported an amused look on her face.

"Why stop what you already know is going to happen? It's a futile effort... but if you're willing to try," The edges of Phantom Marinette's lips curled into a wicked smile, putting Marinette on edge. Phantom Marinette then held her hand out and a dark energy formed in the palm of her hand to reveal a sleek, purple scythe with yellow and purple butterflies flying of out it. Phantom Marinette sighed before she lifted her scythe to face Marinette, who eyed it closely, "Then entertain me with this will of yours... show me you have the strength to change the inevitable!"

"Fine... I'll entertain you... if that means I can stop you from becoming reality..." Marinette lifted her open hand and an aura of blue butterflies materialized in her hand, thinning out to becoming a white lance with blue intricate wisps wrapping around it. It had the dominant bluish white butterflies fluttering around it and Marinette looked incredulously at it before twirling it around, gripping it firmly by her side. The mist was suddenly cleared a little bit, making the battlefield more visible for all to see, "then I'll gladly fight! And you shouldn't underestimate me..."

"Oh really? Because it seems that I estimated you quite fairly. You don't understand that no matter how hard we try, it doesn't matter, because we'll both lose and pay the price. And I already have with their lives!" Phantom Marinette yelled as Marinette noticed her eyes filled a blaze, an anger that swirled with sadness.

"I'm sorry... but I'm fighting so that my children live... unlike you, mine are still alive!" Marinette felt herself feel almost sad for her phantom, she had already lost in her timeline, but it wasn't necessarily true for her. Phantom Marinette chuckled as she found her other self quite amusing with that reply.

"It's simply your naivety and your refusal to accept the facts that will do you in... our children are in their own realms, fighting their own battles correct?" Phantom Marinette asks as Marinette nodded and reminded herself that her children are fighting too, she's not alone.

"And what does that have to do with anything? They're fighting to wake up from this bad nightmare!" Marinette lunged forward and swung down her lance, only for Phantom Marinette to intercept with her scythe. The lance was pressing firmly against the curve of the scythe, preventing the tip of the scythe from continuing any further.

"True... but who says they're going to win?" Phantom Marinette smirked as Marinette's eyes widened in worry and uncertainty. Then, Marinette swung her lance back and twirled it around fiercely, creating a combo with Phantom Marinette parrying every hit with the latter suddenly swinging her scythe back when Marinette was open. Marinette ducked slightly with her scythe barely touching her hair. She then gripped the lance slightly, before swinging it up and slashing Phantom Marinette slightly, causing them both to disconnect from each other.

"You don't believe in our children? How could you!" Marinette asked as she breathed deeply, her hair over framing her face. Phantom Marinette chuckled as she held in wound in what seemed to be pleasure? Reverence? Anything that deviated from pain.

"I don't need to answer that... but it's a shame really..." Phantom Marinette breathed as Marinette gritted her teeth and got her lance ready, "You think you can delay the inevitable? You think you can save them!?" Phantom Marinette asked fiercely as Marinette sighed and looked forlornly at her other self one final time.

"It's not a matter of thinking... it's a matter of doing," Marinette replied solemnly, watching as her other self get even more infuriated with her, "Not that you would understand... you have your utter failure to prove it..."

"Maybe you'd like one to match!" Phantom Marinette screeched as she charged forward with a rage unparalleled. Marinette stared into the eyes of the abyss and with one final breath, she charged.

"Isn't it about time you woke up Mr. Agreste?"

A voice rang out in the pitch black of the darkness as Adrien's eyes fluttered open to readjust with the dark as night space or room he was in. It was dimly lit with some sort of small glowing fireflies or spheres. Adrien groaned as he heaved himself up and squinted his eyes into the darkness.

"Where am I? Is this the hospital? How come I don't see anything? Where's Marinette and the kids?" Adrien muttered to himself as he carefully looked around, taking his surroundings. He found that those glowing spheres had images in them when he looked closer, it was almost like a recollection of a dream.

"Ahh.. so you've finally awoken? Good, you're now ready to fulfill your role," the voice continued as Adrien whipped his head around to find no one else there with him.

"Who are you? What happened here? This isn't the hospital, was this your doing?" Adrien asked as the voice immediately answered.

"Well first, let's get this misunderstanding out the way. You are in a dream, the realm of dreams waits for you beyond these fragments and recollections of dreams and memories," the voice explained as Adrien looked down at his hands and realized his outfit was different. He was wearing a white overcoat with blue butterfly designs on the lower half, he also had a white polo shirt and matching slacks with a glowing white scarf with light blue accents wrapped around his neck.

"I've never had a dream this vivid before... but alright," Adrien sighed before he called out into the darkness, "so? What am I supposed to be doing here? Watch some sort of seance?"

"No... you see, there are four other individuals that are chained to this world with you, teetering on the edge of endless sleep," The voice replied as four of glowing spheres rotated around Adrien, slowly becoming enlarged and Adrien could see four very familiar people in their own predicament, "I believe you should know them very well."

"Marinette..." Adrien murmured as he looked at the woman in question fighting a dark doppelgänger of herself. Adrien then turned his head to look at the next one which showed a teenage boy asleep on what seems to be the hospital floor, "Louis, oh god..." Adrien turned around to find Hugo stepping into a rather humongous maze, hearing his echoing cries for his mom. Lastly, he saw Emma waking up in a plane that reflected the sky, "the twins... so these are the people you're talking about."

"Yes... as of right now, they are facing their fears, because of they constantly think of "what was" instead of "what could be", they will never learn to change their fate," The voice replied as Adrien reached his hand out to rest his hand on Marinette's vision.

"So... this is basically a Silent Hill thing, is that right? I need to help them conquer their fears and put their minds at ease, only then they will wake up right?" Adrien asked as he narrowed his eyes in determination.

"Well, if you put it that way, then yes. They will wake up when you save all four of your loved ones," The voice answered as Adrien slowly nodded and his palm curled into a fist.

"Then so be it, I'll gladly do it! For Marinette and for everything she fought for!" Adrien declared as the screen vibrated like water and emanated rigs around his fist.

"Alright, then choose, who will you save first?" The voice asked as Adrien turned his head around to look at every dream. He then looked back at Marinette and smiled softly.

"I'll go with Marinette, I owe her at least this much," Adrien replied as the voice softly spoke again.

"Then go... her dream awaits, just press your hand a little harder against the screen to enter into her dream," Adrien nodded as he leaned on his hand and suddenly, the sphere sucked him into it, sending into spiraling into the familiar realm of the misty floating islands. Adrien screamed as he realized he was falling from the sky and roughly landed on his side, rolling slightly to steady himself. Adrien then slowly stood up and looked around.

"So Marinette's here..." Adrien murmured as the fog gathered around the island he was on and he squinted to find that doing that only made the fog thicker, "great... how am I supposed to find her thanks to all this damn fog?" Suddenly, he heard shouts and screams in the distance and he immediately knew who it was, and when that thought appeared in his head, it was like the fog knew he found clarity and cleared the way for him. Adrien ran through the slowly clearing fog to find the lone island that Marinette was fighting on, although what he saw was slightly concerning. She was fighting herself? He saw the doppelgänger before on the dream screen before but he didn't actually believe it.

"WHY DON'T YOU JUST ACCEPT IT!" Phantom Marinette screamed as she overpowered Marinette with another swing of her scythe, sending Marinette flying back into the floor, "you won't win... and you won't escape!"

Marinette heaved herself off the floor and sighed as she stared at the ground, "Even so, I can't afford to let myself lose here," Marinette coughed out a little bit of blood as Adrien worriedly tried to find a way to get onto the island, but it was completely isolated, "For every... minute, for every single second for the rest of my life, I will fight to ensure that Adrien does what he needs to do as their father, and YOU of all people... shouldn't have to be in the way..." Marinette gasped for breath as Phantom Marinette frowned slightly before taking another step further, her scythe dragging along.

"Don't you think I tried that?! We will fail anyway, our failure is the inevitable, killing you here won't make a difference, we were destined to fail anyway. We will always come back around to losing to Gabriel, who is inevitable regardless," Phantom Marinette lifted her scythe to face her as Marinette thought about her words for a moment, and after that moment, she asked a question that no one thought would be asked.

"Wow, you really love that word. Was that an Endgame reference?" Marinette asked as Adrien tried to stifle a laugh as he smiled adoringly at Marinette

"A what? An- Is this really the time to point out I made a movie reference?! You're about to die in your sleep!" Phantom Marinette deadpanned and held her scythe with a renewed grip, the tip resting against her neck.

"Well, if you haven't watched the movie, which I know you have because if you are my future self as you claim, then you know that Louis practically dragged us to that movie on the opening day. That means, you know that you can change the inevitable, even when it seems hopeless, it's that kinda hope that things will turn out different that pushes people to change their destiny and that's why they succeeded in the movie."

"Well, unluckily for you, this isn't a movie, you will die fighting for your cause!" Phantom Marinette growled as she swung back and forward and Marinette closed her eyes, as she was about to fail at her challenge. Adrien realized something at that moment that was: this is a DREAM, and the most important thing about dreams is that they're made up. Marinette didn't feel a scythe plunging into her neck and when she opened her eyes, there was someone blocking the hit for her. However, she couldn't believe her eyes as she made out that familiar mop of blond hair.

"ADRIEN?! HOW THE HELL ARE YOU HERE?!" Marinette shrieked as Adrien held back Phantom Marinette's scythe with his bare fist. Adrien looked back at her shocked face and smiled gently.

"You're right, the future will be changed, and it is your wish that guided me here, so let me take care of this for you," Adrien used his other hand to brush her cheek tenderly as Phantom Marinette looked on in contempt.

"No matter who comes to save you, it will all be for naught..." Phantom Marinette pressed harder, digging the scythe further into his fist.

"Adrien! Your hand!" Marinette stood up hastily and looked as Adrien almost effortlessly held back Phantom Marinette, "how are you not getting hurt by that?"

"I realized something, this is a dream, nothing in here is reality and neither are her words. You'll be free then Mari," Adrien used his other arm to swat the scythe away and swung the hand that was holding the scythe into her face, sending her back slightly. He then kicked her and sent her to the floor.

"I had a feeling... that you weren't necessarily my future self, but you were just a manifestation of my fears made reality, and you were just saying those things as if you already experienced losing to Gabriel just to spite me... You weren't real to begin with," Marinette sighed as she rested her hand on Adrien's to calm him down.

"How dare you!" Phantom Marinette growled as she tried to get back up but she was stopped by a lance that was brandished dangerously close to her chest.

"The only thing I will acknowledge is the fact that you say the things that I am afraid of and you are everything I detested being. However... it's over and I will finally it right," Marinette's eyes stared right into the eyes of her other self as Phantom Marinette looked back and saw the sincerity in her eyes. She knew then that Marinette carried the resolve and that's all she needed to know.

"Alright... finish me... and finish what you started..." Phantom Marinette sighed as Marinette's eyes shown with a flash of surprise. With a shaky breath, Marinette took one last final look at her fears and thrusted her lance in. There was no scream, no pain, no consciousness, she just faded into nothingness. Marinette felt a voice whisper in her ear as she watched her phantom fade away into the air, "I'm counting on you..."

"Whew... Adrien!" Marinette whipped around to find a semi-worried Adrien looking at her. Marinette then broke out into a huge smile and ran into him, wrapping him in a big hug, which he reciprocated, "thank you... I don't know how you got here, but thank you..." Marinette leaned back a little to look up at his grinning face before leaning up to press her lips to his. She didn't think it was possible but she felt him grin wider and kiss fervently back. It felt so real even though it was only a dream. It's been a while since she felt his lips and it felt just as amazing as she remembered. Their lips moved together as if they were perfect matches for a puzzle, he tasted a lot like cream cheese and butter, maybe because of his love for croissants. Adrien then slipped his tongue into her mouth suddenly and Marinette felt herself moan slightly as she felt Adrien smirk at that noise. He relished in her taste, he had almost forgotten that sugary raspberry and strawberry taste. It was just as amazing as he remembered and he wished it wouldn't end as they pulled away and rested their foreheads on each other.

"That was a pretty nice thank you," Adrien murmured huskily as Marinette giggled ran her hands along his sides, making him excited. Marinette leaned back and smiled bright at Adrien, "I don't really think I know you're grateful enough yet, I think I might need another one of your thank you's." Adrien teased as Marinette blushed and pouted playfully as she leaned up to kiss him again and he tilted his head slightly to deepen it even more, making him moan slightly. Suddenly, a bright light filled the world again as the pair found themselves in that same blackness with the floating blue orbs.

"Congrats, you're 3 more people away from escaping this nightmarish dream realm, I'm truly glad you two are reunited," The voice from before rang out. Marinette released herself from Adrien's embrace and looked around for the voice.

"That's that voice from before..." Marinette thought aloud as three of the floating orbs enlarged themselves and spun slowly around the pair.

"You have 3 dreams remaining, who will you choose to continue of your quest?" The voice asked as Adrien held Marinette's hand and looked at the three remaining dreams.

"So this is how you got into my dream Adrien?" Marinette asked as Adrien squeezed her hand slightly and nodded.

"Yeah, now who do we save next?"

"Louis... he needs our help the most, he took almost the full brunt of that blast, he wouldn't be here if he were... dead, so that means he has the least time left," Marinette swallowed the bile that was in her throat as she forced herself to speak.

"You both can go, so you don't have to worry about being separated," The voice reminded them as the pair nodded, stuck their hands out, and pressed them against the screen, covering the child that was beginning to wake up in his dream.

"For Louis." Marinette murmured as the screen began to make ripples like water and Adrien nodded, keeping his hand over hers.

"For Louis." Adrien repeated as a bright light shown again in the plane of darkness, sucking them yet into another dream. A dream where a boy has to relive his painful memories of the past, over and over and over, with no way out. It honestly would drive anyone insane, for Louis, it was just a matter of time.


	21. Chapter20:BurningMemories

Author's Note: Hey guys SnivyLord here, and I just wanted to tell you that this specific arc of their story is called "The Dream Chronicles." This chapter is specifically Louis' dream, and I absolutely love all of your reviews because I take so much pleasure from finding out what you guys think of how this story is going. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and from this moment on, only one chapter will be released a day up until Chapter 24 because I'm trying to write out the rest lmao. Anyways! Enjoy!

He felt like his body was burning even though he knew nothing was happening. Even though he knew nothing was happening, he still felt like he was moving towards an end, the climax of his story. Maybe now was just his time for him to go, nothing was stopping him from finally giving into the abyss of sleep. However still, Louis managed to groggily open his eyes to find himself on a white, cold floor as he could make out people walking through him, around him, and over him, but they don't notice that he's there. Louis heaved himself up as he looked around, it looked like the lobby to a hospital of some sort.

"So it's a hospital huh? Is this my challenge?" Louis asked aloud as he noticed that the people that were walking by were a little more faded out as he was. He was the only one that looked like he was actually physically there, even though the hospital itself looked faded out as well, almost like static. However, one thing that freaked him out was that there was one more person that looked just as vibrant as him, and he was extremely familiar. The weirdest thing though was that the other person that was standing directly across from him with a blank yet calculating look was a young boy with a familiar head of side swept blond hair.

"I suppose you can call a challenge of sorts," The young boy looked around at the hospital and sighed as he walked so he was right in front of Louis and squatted down so they were eye level, "how are you feeling?"

"Alright I guess, but you... there's no way..." Louis murmured as he looked into the boy's sky blue eyes as the boy smiled that smile that he knew from a mile away. After all, it was his own million dollar smile, "you're me...WHAT THE HELL?!"

"Yeah, that's right, to be precise, I'm you when you were 6 years old," The boy explained as Louis looked at him questioningly and noted his proficiency at speaking.

"Really? Then how are you so good at speaking French?"

"It's a dream Louis, well, older me, there's two biological identical copies of the same person from two different times, are you really that surprised that I can speak fluent French? Would you rather I talk to you like a 6 year old?" The boy rolled his eyes as Louis shook his head slowly.

"Uhhh...No?"

"Then don't question it, do I seriously get that dumb in the future?" Younger Louis asked as Louis frowned and smacked the younger boy over the head, with the younger Louis holding his head with a yelp.

"Well, glad to know I'm such a smart-ass, and that I can still hit you in this dream world matrix thing," Louis sighed as he stood up and Younger Louis looked up at him incredulously.

"I get that tall?" Younger Louis asked with stars in his eyes with Louis smiling proudly at his height.

"Yeah, I'm almost as tall as our dad, you proud yet?" Louis asked as Younger Louis pressed his finger to his chin and nodded.

"Yeah, and I'm kinda surprised we get to meet our dad in the future, but we have to get to your challenge," Younger Louis explained as he walked into the hospital through the lobby doors, gesturing Louis to follow. Louis looked around as nurses and doctors rushed past him without giving the two any mind.

"These people can't see or touch us can they?" Louis concluded as they continued walking as the other Louis nodded.

"Yeah, we're sort of on a plane of existence of our own, we're just observing as the dictator of the events that are going to transpire here today," Younger Louis continued to explain as Louis stopped and processed those words.

"Wait... events that are going to transpire... younger me, what exactly am I doing here?" Louis asked as Younger Louis turned around and suddenly, the hallway stretched and sped past the pair and they found themselves in the lobby again.

"You're reliving some of the more traumatic memories of our life as an outsider, do you recognize this hospital yet? It was burned into our memory after all," Younger Louis gestured to the entrance doors as they moved apart and Louis saw a young woman with familiar blueberry hair getting wheeled in on a stretcher with a young boy, crying and sobbing next to the cart as they wheeled her past the emergency doors and out of sight.

"Wait... that was... Mom... and us right beside her... this is... no no NO NO NO!" Louis realized as he looked at the clock at the front of the lobby and he ran to the counter to look at the date: May 22nd, 2010, the day Mom got wheeled into the hospital. Ultimately, it would end up taking until the next day at around midnight to actually birth the twins so their birthday was really the 23rd. The details were getting sharper in Louis's mind with every second he spent staring at the date, eventually stepping back, losing his balance slightly as Younger Louis steadied him and looked up at him worryingly.

"Today's the first day, when our siblings would be introduced into this world. It's not exactly a pleasant day for both of us," Younger Louis murmured as he looked at the emergency room doors. Louis felt himself hyperventilating as he struggled to grasp that he's reliving this day all over again, "now... for your role in this challenge." Younger Louis brought his two fingertips up and make a wagging motion as if he was swiping through a phone except it was in midair. Suddenly, the hospital activity sped up and the natural lighting began to change, "I'm going to speed up the day to the time when the twins are born. Now your job is to change what happened."

Louis looked incredulously at his younger self as the younger self in question looked outside to make sure the timing was correct and he stopped swiping his fingers, "Change... what happened?"

"You can change the events that happens today by changing the circumstances of what happened. You will succeed when you successfully prevented Gabriel from traumatizing you and our family. However, there are a few rules concerning how you can do this and listen closely since we don't have long until he appears," Younger Louis explains as he stares at the door, waiting for Gabriel to arrive and Louis leans down to listen.

"You cannot interact with the people in this plane of existence because you cannot interrupt the natural flow of time for people as they go here and there, so you can't murder Gabriel as soon as he walks through the door," Younger Louis explains as Louis rolls his eyes and scoffs.

"Yeah I figured it wouldn't be that easy, what else?" Louis muttered as Younger Louis mirrored his older self's disappointed look and continued.

"You can however change the circumstances as in, you can block the doors, trigger the alarm, hide things, and practically anything with an inanimate object as long as you don't DIRECTLY hurt a human being, because memories in that sense can not be changed by simply murdering someone," Younger Louis looks back and forth between Louis and the door, and Louis could feel the anxiety radiating off his younger self. It was unsettling.

"I guess so... you're just as afraid as I am aren't you?" Louis asked as Younger Louis nodded.

"Yes... the purpose of this challenge is for you to learn a very important lesson that has to deal with changing our memory of what happened, and- wait... he's here," Younger Louis stopped as he looked back towards the door and Louis just stared as Gabriel walked through the entrance doors. He always carried that insufferable air of arrogance and superiority, acting as if he was entitled to attempt kidnapping. Louis grit his teeth and clenched his fist as he fought against walking up to Gabriel and punching him.

"He's here... and he's just asking to be punched..." Louis growled as Younger Louis held his hand out to stop him.

"Hurry... you can lock the doors to delay Gabriel getting in, the doors are electronic and only the receptionist can unlock the door and let you into emergency," Younger Louis pointed to the front desk counter that Gabriel was approaching.

"On it!" Louis nodded as he ran to the counter and discovered he could levitate and fly, another perk of being in dream plane of existence he thinks. Louis flew behind the counter and looked at the computer, noting the sign-in records of people that have entered the hospital. Louis looked around as he found the button on the touch screen that unlocked the door. Louis then saw the receptionist nodding and pressing the button, and hearing an audible unlocking of the door, Gabriel headed towards it. Panicking, Louis pressed the button again to lock it and noticed a coffee mug filled with coffee. Suddenly having an idea, Louis tipped the cup over so it would spill all over the receptionist and the floor. Louis looked up at Gabriel to find the man physically annoyed as Gabriel looked even more mad and he tapped his foot impatiently, "Alright, I just to permanently lock the button to prevent it from opening. Is there even a button for that?"

"No, Gabriel's going to get in eventually... there's no avoiding it," Younger Louis looked sadly at the emergency doors as Louis became even more agitated by the second.

"No, there's a way to keep him in the lobby, maybe if we somehow lead the receptionist away from the desk?" Louis wondered as Younger Louis shook his head and looked over at Gabriel.

"Considering the type of person that Gabriel is, wouldn't he just sneak over to the desk and unlock it himself? So there's really no point in trying to stop the doors," Younger Louis deadpans as Louis stepped back, thinking about it for a second before nodding his head.

"Yeah, he does seem like the type of person to do that," Louis said quietly to himself but his younger self heard it anyway.

"Wait, can't I just keep locking the doors after each time they press the button?" Louis asked but his younger self already had a rebuttal for that.

"As much as I would like to say that the doors ONLY have electronic locks, they don't. Look closer at the doors, you see the key holes on the press bar thing?" Younger Louis asked as Louis looked closer to find the keyhole in question, "So that means you can also unlock it manually so eventually, the receptionist is just gonna give up and unlock the door for him."

"You know... one thing you haven't learned yet is that what matters isn't the result... but what you did in between. So stop telling me to give up, but the important thing right now is that I'm stalling for time," Louis huffed as he pressed the button to lock again as the receptionist wiped his shirt and Gabriel's patience was starting to be tested by God.

"What do you think stalling for time will accomplish?" Younger Louis asked as Louis sighed and shook his head in annoyance.

"I'm literally making this up as I go so give me a little credit. Mom had to stay in the hospital for a few days to monitor the twins' condition as well as rest. So yeah... eventually Gabriel will eventually make it in. But that doesn't mean I still can't stop him," Louis explained as his younger self looked aside and Louis noticed how his eyes looked glassy and distant, as if he had already lost hope from the beginning. Louis continued the same cycle of locking the door every time the receptionist unlocks it until the receptionist finally gave up and came over to Gabriel to unlock the door himself.

"Ok, Louis, we gotta move," Louis murmured as he reached over to grab his younger self's hand, who yelped out in surprise because he really wasn't expecting that at all. Louis then flew through the doors as the receptionist unlocked the door and looked around at anything he could use to deter Gabriel. A thought however gnawed at him from the back of his mind: Gabriel is going to get in eventually but what is he going to do when he does? How will he change the events of what happens in the room? Louis clenched his hand tighter around Younger Louis' arm as he came to terms with the fact that what he said was right: he was just making things up as he goes along.

Adrien and Marinette stepped out into Louis' world as they looked around to take in their surroundings.

"This looks like a hospital, everything looks faded out and like static," Adrien looked around as Marinette narrowed her eyes at her surroundings, she knew that there was a special reason why Louis' challenge takes place in a hospital but she couldn't place her finger on it. There was something very familiar to this place to Marinette but after a moment of seeing people walk by and people sitting in the waiting area, she finally realized what this place was.

"This place... it's like a discordant, static tapestry of something Louis wishes he could forget... that's why this world looks the way it does..." Marinette thought aloud as Adrien adorned a look of confusion on his face as he tried to piece out what she said.

"What? What does that have to do with what his nightmare is?" Adrien asked as Marinette bit her lip and steeled herself.

"This world is most likely the reenactment of the day when Hugo and Emma were born. To think... Louis' challenge would be this, oh God," Marinette brought her hand to her head, using her index finger and thumb to massage her head.

"You think so?" Adrien asked as the all too familiar voice rang out throughout the air.

"Yes, Marinette is correct, this is a fabrication of the world when your twins were born. It is Louis' job to change the circumstances of the incident however he can in order to change what happened," The voice explained as Marinette's mood sunk even more and Adrien was lost in thought about Louis' challenge.

"You know... if there's one thing I learned about experiencing all of this hell, it's that the past cannot be changed. Even if Louis somehow manages to change his own memory about what happened, the fact that it still happened the way it did stays the same, no matter how much you wish you could forget and redo what happened. Louis won't escape his nightmare that way," Marinette sighed as she held both her hands to her chest, praying that Louis somehow manages to figure out that lesson, but she knew that Louis wasn't the type to just lay down like a dog and take it.

"To give you a little context, I will show you a snippet of what happened in the room when your twins were born," The voice explained the world suddenly spun quickly around them and suddenly, the pair found themselves in a hospital room with a Marinette holding a pair of twins in her arms, her tired eyes shining with adoration and joy as she leaned back against the bed. Soon, the door opened and the pair turned around to find a young Louis rushing and bouncing to his mother's side, looking over her arm to get a glimpse of his new siblings. Adrien felt his heart swell as he and Marinette watched the scene unfold.

"Did you name them?" Louis asked brightly as he had his hopes up about naming his siblings

"Yeah, I only named your brother. Meet your baby brother Hugo," Marinette smiled as she handed the small baby over to Louis to hold, "the trick is to cradle the head so he won't cry," Adrien reached over to grab Marinette's hand, who smiled gently at the gesture as she continued to watch herself.

"Hey Hugo! It's your big brother Louis I promise to love you, our sister, and Maman with all my heart. I will never let anything happen to you... ever, and that's a promise," Louis whispered as Hugo, half conscious, reached out with his small hand to grab Louis' finger, who felt like he could burst from happiness. Adrien felt his eyes tear up at how beautiful this scene is and how sad because he never got to be here to experience this with Marinette.

"Do you want to name your sister?"

"Yes! Oh my god yes! Ok, let's see... I think I'll name her..."

"I trust you Louis, please don't name her something weird."

"I won't I won't. Trust me," Louis smirked at Marinette, who held a nervous smile as Adrien and Marinette chuckled at the scene, "I think I'll name her Emilia."

"Oh! That's a beautiful name! Let's call her Emma for short."

"Yeah!" After Louis said those words, the world spun around again and the pair found themselves back in the lobby of the hospital. Marinette held a curled finger to her chin as she thought about the psychological effects that experience had on Louis; she was aware of it before but she never discussed it out loud until now.

"You know... I feel like this experience, systematically taught Louis that he should be responsible for everything and absolutely everything. That's why he's such an overachiever in school, kinda like you," Marinette thought aloud as Adrien nodded in agreement, with a slight smile at that last part.

"You know... I can't really tell if that's a bad thing or a good thing that he got it from me," Adrien chuckled as Marinette smiled softly before taking another once over at the hospital. She folded her arms and narrowed her eyes at her surroundings and thought about how it must have felt for Louis.

"He really is your son you know? You lost your mother and it shaped you into who you are. When you look at Louis, he never had you, and it made him so much like you. Feeling as if he needs to fufill that role of being a caretaker in order to stop his family from falling apart," Marinette remarked quietly as she felt Adrien tense beside her, and she could feel the anger and discomfort radiating off him.

"When you put it like that, I wish he never turned out like me..." Adrien muttered as Marinette turned her head to face him.

"What... do you mean?" Marinette asked as Adrien sighed out harshly and the two made their way into the hospital, their legs supposedly moving on their own to where Louis was.

"I told myself that if I ever had kids, I would never, ever make them go through what I experienced. The emptiness of not having a loving and supportive father figure. You know my father, he was never intuitive enough to know that his son was suffering after the "death" of his mother. He was cold, he was indifferent and calculating. The absence of my mother just made it worse, she was in a permanent vegetative state and it seemed like she was never going to wake up. It's been what? Over 20 years since I last saw her alive? I still visit her several days a week but thinking about my entire family situation made me want to be better for my own children. To really be there for them... and now look... we're all in some sort of subconscious reality within our dreams fighting to not die in our sleep, do you know how crazy that sounds?!" Adrien breathed out as he felt his frustration and his bafflement reach a high point. Marinette cocked her head to the side as she thought about it.

"Yeah I know, it does sound crazy, but we have to take this shot if we're gonna make it back. Wait Adrien, were you even in a coma to begin with? I would assume that all four of us are in a coma because of the "eternal sleep" thing but how did you get here?" Marinette asked as Adrien looked down at the floor while bringing a curled finger to his lips.

"I'm not really sure... I was talking to the doctor about your conditions and then later, I fell asleep next to you. I suppose our dreams were connected somehow? But seriously, even that voice thing that rules this world agrees that this is some sort of Silent Hill thing," Adrien answered as Marinette giggled and the pair continued walking down the hospital hallway, making a turn towards another hallway.

"I hope you know Adrien, that none of this is your fault, it's Gabriel's, he took too many steps too far and he needs to stop," Marinette murmured as she felt Adrien's mood sour.

Adrien scoffed as he smiled ruefully, "Of course, it's NEVER my fault, never. And that's exactly the problem."

"Problem?" Marinette asked slowly as Adrien grit his teeth and looked straight ahead as he talked.

"Yes! I don't want so that just because I'm kind and emphatic and a gentleman that I never have to be blamed for anything. I want to take responsibility when things are my fault. Because even though things are my fault, people act as if I never have to take any of the blame and I feel so powerless and guilty about it! I want to save Louis and the twins with my own two hands, because I owe that to them as their father," Adrien almost yelled as he felt his voice break from the emotion. Marinette looked at him in shock, feeling the determination radiating from him. Reaching her hands on either side of his face and turned him towards her and she looked at him in his beautiful emerald green eyes.

"We are saving them together, and then you'll be the man you were always meant to be, I promise," Marinette stared into his shining green eyes as she saw his mouth slowly break into a smile and lean in so he could peck her lips.

"Right, thank you, alright, now let's go find our son," Adrien grinned at her before they both hurried down the hall to where Louis was.

"He's coming..." Younger Louis turned around towards the door after the two watched their mother and themselves cradle their newborn siblings for a time, "somehow, you have to stop him, or at least, help us in a way that the events turn out different."

"Give me a sec, I'm working on it," Louis looked around as he remembered how he was slammed back into the foot of the hospital bed and that's how the bed lurched forward in the first place, "hmmmm... I just have to somehow remove this button from the equation." Louis took the scalpel from the bedside table and carefully took out the plastic cover for the button, "ok, now I just need to block it." Louis looked up and around for anything and he spotted a cart sitting near the sink on the far left of the room. Quickly, he pushed it so it was right in front of the bed, gaining a weird look from Marinette and the Louis from the projection.

"Did that cart just move on its own?" Louis asked as Marinette looked questionably at the cart that seemed to stop right in front of their bed. Odd, there's practically nothing in here that could move that cart.

"Yes I believe it did," Marinette replied as she unknowingly clutched her son tighter.

"You think there are ghosties in here?" Louis asked as the other two Louis's fought a chuckle as they continued to look around for ways to change the circumstances.

"No I don't think so," The two boys heard their mom say as the door suddenly opened and the two boys whipped around to find Gabriel standing in the doorway.

"Your nine months are up, there is a decision to be made..." Gabriel said as he quietly shut the door behind him and the four could only watch in horror as he inched closer to the bed.

"First, let me ask you something Gabriel, does HE know you made this hospital visit?" Marinette asked quietly as Gabriel looked at her for a moment before answering. Louis looked frantically around the room for something else he could change but the man was already in the room so what could he do?

"No. No he does not, Marinette, you have to make a decision, you either give the kids obediently to an adoption agency that I have arranged or keep them and or I'll get rid of them by force," Gabriel said coldly as Louis felt his eyes widen in horror as the memory started hitting him with the force of a tsunami. He watched as his younger self in the projection get increasingly furious with the man.

"Knowing you, it's probably some suspicious, underhanded, seedy adoption agency isn't it, do you really think I trust you?" Marinette asked.

"Mister! If you think Maman is gonna give our family to you, then you're wrong. I dunno why you want to get rid of them, but getting rid of people who can't defend themselves makes you a meanie, A BIG MEANIE!" Louis yelled as the other Louis watched forlornly at himself. When he said this, he knew that he would suffer the consequences YEARS into the future. He meant every word though, he just didn't realise how he would come to suffer because of them.

"You don't understand boy, your mother never meant to have you or your siblings. You were a mistake, you and your siblings have no business in even being alive," Gabriel muttered lowly in a voice that made Louis want to cry. Louis looked down at his own hands and clenched them, wondering about what Gabriel said.

"Hey... younger me..." Louis asked slowly as younger Louis looked up at him, "what are we doing here?"

"What do you mean?" Younger Louis asked as Louis continued to stare at Gabriel, who lunged forward for the twins and the pair could hear their mother's screams.

"Our purpose... our reason for being in this world? If you think about it hard enough, Gabriel's right... we were a mistake. But regardless of that... what are we? What's the point of living if, we were never meant to enjoy life in the first place?" Louis asked as his younger self turned back towards the scene as the Louis within the projection kicked the metal cart forward, slamming into Gabriel's pelvis and incapacitated him for a moment before charging his entire body with Gabriel, sending them both to the floor, "in fact... why are YOU even here? Helping me?"

"Well... I don't know any better than you do to be honest, but the reason why I'm here is because I represent your past, your past mistakes and fears. If I'm gonna be honest, compared to me then, we haven't changed," Younger Louis explained as Louis walked over to the bed, grabbed a pillow and discreetly placed it in front of the cart. Suddenly, Gabriel pressed his foot against Louis' stomach and launched into the cart, where the pillow cushioned the blow.

"Where did this pillow- ACK!" Louis wondered as Gabriel kicked him again in the stomach as Marinette screamed out in horror, moving to get up from the bed. Louis then caught Gabriel's foot before it hit him again and used his other foot to sweep Gabriel from under and trip him to the floor.

"We're still that scared, scarred kid who can't let this go... ever. It's like a curse you haven't been able to break for 7 years," Younger Louis gritted his teeth as Louis noticed his tone become more angry and irritated.

"So is it my fault then? You have every right to be mad..." Louis murmured, flinching as he heard from his younger self, his voice turning into a yell.

"OF COURSE I'M MAD! You're supposed to demonstrate to me how we've changed! That you're not me from 7 years ago! And now look! You're just as terrified as I am! And what should I expect from a bigger coward than I am?!" His younger self practically screamed as Louis shrunk back slightly in fear. His younger self was right: he was pathetic, "Here you are, trying to change the past when it will always turn out the same way! You haven't realized it yet either!"

"Realized what?!" Louis asked as he glared down at his younger self, who kept his furious look without a hint of hesitation or even fear at his imposing older self. However, the Louis in the projection was about to get up after tripping Gabriel before he noticed Marinette tucking in the newborns in the bed before turning around and charging at Gabriel, bringing both her and her saline rack to the ground, "Enlighten me! You claim you have this big lesson that I am supposed to learn, but you don't have any idea what it is do you?! You're just tagging along, making sure I fail and lose hope to even make it out of here! You've been doubting and ridiculing every single action or thought I make and if that doesn't raise a red flag, I don't know what does!" Louis yelled as his younger self took a step back, disheartened by his older self's words.

Marinette grabbed one of the saline bags and found the scalpel that Louis had used to remove the button and stabbed the spare saline bag. Then, she turned around with a face bordering on lividly insane, squirting it all over his face and beating him with it. Both Louis' winced at their mother's battle scream as Louis in the projection was kicked back by Gabriel, who had pointed his attention at Marinette. Suddenly, Gabriel kicked Marinette off and she crashed into the saline rack, temporarily incapacitated by the pain in her back. Gabriel then stood up and walked over to the bed where the twins were crying.

"No..." Marinette wheezed as she struggled to get up. Gabriel was about to grab the twins when a weight pulled him backwards and Gabriel looked back to see Louis latching on to him and throwing his own body backwards to get him away from the kids.

"You insolent little brat!" Gabriel snarled as Louis mirrored his snarl and latched his arms around Gabriel's neck and pulled him down to the ground so that Louis would be on top.

"Get away from them! I will stop you! Just watch me!" Louis screamed as he started pounding away at Gabriel's face, putting all of his force behind his punches. Gabriel huffed as he blocked them and he countered back by socking Louis right in the face. Suprisingly though, it was as if Louis couldn't feel any pain as through tears, he kept pounding with his fists and joined his fists together and hammered down on Gabriel's face. Finally, with blood streaming from his nose, Gabriel punched Louis as hard as he could and knocked the boy unconscious with a thud to the floor. Gabriel then stood up and looked at the boy with disdain before he started towards the twins. As if miracles kept happening in this hopeless time, Gabriel felt a pair of hands grab his arms and spin him around until there was enough momentum to launch him into the door with a loud thud, his back painfully hitting the door knob.

"I will never let you... take them away from me... you hear Gabriel?! Attacking a mother and her child in the middle of a hospital of all places! You're clinically insane! Seriously! What kind of person does this?! I'll never know because no one can read the mind of someone that's not even human," Marinette groaned as she struggled to get in gulps of air. Gabriel looked up at her with malice and hatred that could burn her alive. The two other Louis' watched as Marinette charged forward and kneed him in the stomach, forcibly opening the door and sending them both out into the hallway, grabbing the attention of the people in the hospital. Soon, there were nurses and a doctor rushing into the room to check on the vitals of the children and other nurses helped Marinette back to the bed while Gabriel was taken away. The events were changed, but somehow, the result still remained the same. Louis may not have stabbed the scalpel into the hand of Gabriel and burned the image of the blood into his mind but he was still traumatized by watching his mother fight, get beaten mercilessly, and fight a man in a way that terrified him. Marinette heard him call out as he disappeared from view.

"You think you can keep them safe? Don't make me laugh... enjoy your so called peace while it lasts Ms. Dupain Cheng. Your existence will be erased by my hands I swear it," Marinette heard him say as she felt a cold wave of blood wash over her body, her vision becoming steadily blurry and she couldn't remember gripping her arms tighter around herself in her life. She was truly terrified of him.

"You changed the events of what happened... but is the end result really all that different? We still failed to protect her..." Younger Louis murmured as Louis watched Marinette beg the nurses to save her son.

"No matter how I change things... it will always end up with the result it always had. And I will never let go... the past? It's impossible," Louis felt tears rush out of his eyes as when he brought his hands to wipe his tears away, he saw blackness throughout his surroundings, "wait... what happened to the hospital?"

"It's time for your next memory..." His younger self said as the world suddenly appeared before Louis and he found himself inside a recital hall, the world spinning rapidly around him before coming slowly to a stop.

"This is... my last recital... and I played my song with my dad... So this is the other memory, burned into my mind is it?" Louis asked without really needing an answer, "So be it."

Meanwhile, elsewhere, Marinette and Adrien were running through the halls trying to find the hospital room that former's past self was in. The hospital halls were unnaturally twisting and winding, almost like a maze. There were so many corrridors, each with a different set of paths. After a very long period of time, Marinette and Adrien finally found the room that was marked by an overflowing darkness that seeped from the door cracks.

"So this is it... the room where it happened," Marinette breathed out slowly as Adrien looked at her worryingly as she gave him a quick nod before pulling open the door to find a completely different setting on the other side of the door, "What the?!" Adrien looked closer to see that on the other side of the door was the upstairs corridor of the recital hall Louis performed at.

"This must be a doorway to another memory, Louis must be through here if the door was exuding that darkness from it," Adrien surprised as Marinette gave him an agreeing nod. Suddenly a voice rang out that surprised both of them.

"The reason why you find a different memory beyond this door is because Louis has already dealt with this memory and failed," The all too familiar voice rang out throughout the halls of the hospital.

"What do you mean he failed?" Adrien asked as the voice immediately replied.

"He failed to understand that the past cannot be changed, he himself admitted that letting the past go was impossible even though he cannot change it. Beyond this door is his final chance before he sleeps forever," The voice explained as Adrien and Marinette's eyes widened in horror as they looked at each other quickly, and with no words exchanged, they rushed into Louis' next memory.

"So what I supposed to do here? I suppose I should stop the bomb from going off? Gabriel sets the bomb off anyway so what's the point?" Louis asks as he walks straight into the theater hall to find himself alone on the stage playing the piano. His younger self followed him inside and saw that nobody was in the audience. It was just themselves alone on that stage, "Wait... this isn't what happened, why am I alone?"

"It's strange... but what's even more strange is that we can't hear ourselves playing the piano," His younger self pointed out as Louis' eyes widened in realization: the place was completely quiet even though he could see his own fingers dance across the keys.

"I wonder if there's a reason for that..." Louis wondered as suddenly, a brilliant flash entered their eyes and the two boys covered their eyes for a moment before looking back up to see the whole place in flames. Instinctively, the boys covered their mouths and nose to block the smoke but there was smoke, just the heat of the explosion and the air whipping itself around. Louis looked at the stage to see himself completely burned, his clothes burned and his skin burned almost to black. He saw himself reach his hand out for the two boys and mouth the words:

"Save me..."

Louis immediately sprung into action as he stepped further into the flames, dodging the falling debris before realizing that the debris just went through him. It was just the heat that was getting even hotter by the second. He felt his younger self follow behind him and he reached his hand out for his own hand. All Louis could see was the other hand reaching out to him, the rest of his vision was just flames and smoke.

"I have to save him... he's me... can I even save myself?" Louis asked mentally as his hand inched closer and closer to his other hand and just before their finger tips touched, Louis felt two arms wrap around him and pull him all the way back into the lobby with him and his savior both on the floor. Louis could hear the panting of the other person and another person's gasp and he looked up to see his dad on the floor with him looking relieved at him.

"You can save yourself Louis... you don't have to ask yourself that mentally... we could hear your pleas for help just fine. Are you okay my son?" Adrien asked calmly as Louis registered his words and felt himself tear up and throw himself into his father's arms.

"You're here... Mom too... you guys are really here! Thank you... thank you so much Dad... I was so terrified," Louis sobbed into his dad's coat and he felt Adrien relax and wrap his arms soothingly around him, resting his chin on top of his head.

"I know... and I'm sorry Louis... for everything. It's the least I could do... as your father, to save you from yourself," Adrien separated himself from Louis so he could look as his son in the eyes, which were red and swollen from crying.

"I know Dad, and I love you for it... please... stay..." Louis sniffled as he saw Adrien give him a blinding smile before pulling him back into a hug.

"I love you too and I promise... I won't ever leave you or Marinette or our family ever... you guys are my everything, and I'm sorry I never found out sooner. I should have been there for you. It's been tough I know," Adrien murmured comfortingly as Louis continued to listen and sob into him, "and you have done a great job, shouldering everyone's burdens on your shoulders on your own, but you're not alone anymore. You have me and your mom and we would be more than happy to take your burdens off you. And we will make it through. Together. Okay?" Adrien asked as he felt a nod from his son. He then pulled back to see his son smiling brightly at him.

"Yeah... I believe in you Dad, until the end," Louis wiped away his tears and smiled at him. Marinette knelt down beside them and caressed her son's face.

"You can rest now Louis, we'll take it from here," Marinette whispered as Louis nodded and closed his eyes with a small smile on his face.

"Oh great... That's a... relief... good luck..." Louis whispered as his body withered away into golden sparkles and the pair watched in shock as they were now back in the pitch blackness with the blue floating orbs.

"Louis has now been freed, don't worry, he will make it back even if he isn't here to aid you in your next dream," The voice rang out again as Adrien and Marinette sighed in relief as the two dreams remaining floated around them.

"Alright, Hugo's next," Marinette decided as Adrien gave an encouraging nod before they proceeded into the next nightmare.


	22. Chapter21:TheMazeThatisTheMind

I don't know if I can trust him... Mr. Agreste? I want to trust him, I do, but it's hard. I know he's my dad, and that's the scariest part. One of the people I'm supposed to love the most, the one I'm supposed to look up to for unconditional love and support, I'm terrified that I could be wrong. It's the most crippling thing you know? Lou and Emm trust him completely but I've been grappling and grasping at straws to even find it in my heart to trust him. My mind keeps saying the opposite and I wish I could stop listening to it, but it's almost as if I trust my mind more than my heart. Eventually, finding the answer became almost like a maze, searching for the answer in the midst of the tricks the mind plays on you. I still haven't found my answer, but I suppose that's why this is my challenge.

"Hey, sometimes, being a little mistrusting is good. It means you have a good sense of judgement, it's rare to find that in an eight year old kid," Hugo thought in his head as he remembered the words Adrien said to him. Hugo ogled openly at the large walls before him, a wide corridor beckoning him within. Hugo almost couldn't find the strength to take a step until he heard a shriek come from inside the maze.

"HUGO! HELP ME!" A voice rang out through the mist as Hugo shuddered from the chilling air he felt surrounding the maze.

"Maman... she's in there... and she needs me," Hugo murmured as he felt a unknown determination fill him, "I'm coming Maman!" Hugo called out as he finally took a step forward and ran into the maze. As soon as he did though, he felt the mist get thicker in the maze as if that was the ONE thing he needed in that moment. He turned a corner and kept running, listening to his footsteps as they pounded in a steady rhythm against the ground. Eventually, he heard another scream and found it coming in different directions, "Her screams... they're everywhere, this maze... it seems designed to throw me off." Hugo huffed as he wandered deeper into the maze. Eventually, he arrived at what seemed to be a dead end: a giant chasm in the corridor with the corridor continuing on the other side, its bottom unknown.

"A gap? How did this get here? Hmmmm... It seems pretty far... 15 feet maybe?" Hugo thought aloud as his feet turned to go back the other way, "I better turn ba-." Hugo stopped mid-sentence as he heard movements behind him. He whipped around to find creatures coming out of the walls of the maze. They moved with a mechanical rhythm that wasn't even human, their joints moving suddenly and spastically like robots or puppets even. However, they did seem to take a human form and when they started to stand up straight and the mist cleared, Hugo could only freeze in horror. He looked fearfully at the things that seemed to take on Gabriel's look, their faces ever fixed on the increasing despair on Hugo's face. Their bodies constantly moved and bended in ways that weren't humanly possible but their faces just remained on Hugo regardless.

"Mr. Agreste? Well... my dream certainly did a good job making them as horrifying as possible. He's not even human in real life... to ruin Lou's first recital with Papa watching by blowing up the recital hall. Even here... he's ghastly..." Hugo murmured as one of them suddenly rushed forward and sprinted towards him. Panicked, Hugo took a step back into his fighting stance, his hands up and clenched. The Gabriel puppet dashed up to him and swung its arm at Hugo, who dodged before using his elbow to pierce the puppet in its stomach and he was surprised to find out that it was like wood. Hugo then used his fist to hit the puppet in the face and side-kicked him back, causing the puppet to collapse on the ground, its parts breaking apart. Hugo looked at it before looking at the rest of them and oddly enough, they just stood there in place as if they were waiting for something. Hugo looked at them curiously before looking at the puppet he just defeated and saw that the parts that fell apart were gravitating back to the real body and fixing itself. Hugo gasped as the puppet slowly rebuilt itself back on Gabriel and its eyes burned into Hugo as he felt his hands shake and his legs tremble. Suddenly, the other puppets started to sprint forward and Hugo yelled out in surprise as he turned around and ran towards the gap. The only choice he had now was to jump it, there was no way he could fight that many puppets.

"You have no hope to escape..."

"Just disappear quietly like your mother..."

"Your siblings have failed in their dreams, what's stopping you from sleeping?"

"You're the most forgettable out of your siblings, you might as well be dead..."

"Are you commiting suicide now? By jumping off a cliff? You won't make it to the other side... or perhaps you will... in a different sense..."

These were the things Hugo heard from the puppets as the edge of the corridor neared and with a huge jump, Hugo leaped across the giant chasm. He didn't feel fear, which should have been the first thing he felt, but it wasn't feeling, it was instinct. Hugo saw the ground of the corridor of the other side coming up to meet him; only problem was, he wasn't gonna land on it. Hugo saw that he could reach to grab the edge of the cliff just barely as he stuck his hands out and grabbed the cliff just in time, his arms feeling like they just had their muscles ripped apart if he had any. Slowly, and with a lot of effort, Hugo raised himself onto the corridor floor and he lied on his side as he massaged his arms with a tired victory sigh.

"Oh my god... I actually made it..." Hugo laughed as he looked back to the other side and saw that the puppets were just falling off the cliff, fixed on getting to Hugo. Hugo then looked back at the continuing corridor and propped himself up as he saw more Gabriels starting to come out of the wall. Hugo quickly got to his feet as he saw the Gabriels immediately sprint at him and he felt that feeling well up inside him again. It was the instinct to survive and Hugo faced them with a new vigor, with a new will to attack. Hugo ran forward and intercepted them with attacks of his own, skillfully dodging and weaving through the Gabriel's with a grace that he never displayed before. As he made his way towards the end of the crowd, he turned around and back kicked the last remaining into the air and ran further into the maze. Hugo then ran towards an intersection and he checked over his shoulder to find one of the Gabriel's lunging at him. Without missing a beat, Hugo turned around and grabbed the puppet's arms, using its momentum to spin it around a couple of times before releasing it back in the other direction, the puppet crashing into the others. Without another step to spare, he kept running.

"A maze?" Adrien asked as the mist cleared for the pair and the giant structure appeared before them, it's doors opening slowly to reveal the first corridor inside.

"Hugo could be anywhere in this maze... it may take a lot time to find him," Marinette sighed as she quickly examined how big the maze was from just the look of the first corridor.

"True... but we will find him. You know, when you really think about it, this maze is Hugo's manifestation of the mixed feelings he has for me," Adrien surmised as he thought back to the time when he first talked with his son one on one.

"His mixed feelings? Yes, I do remember him telling me that he wasn't sure about you, being his father and all. Poor Hugo, he wanted to trust you, he really did. But he could never find a good enough case to really find an answer," Marinette thought aloud as she remembered how Hugo spoke with her about how he doubted being able to have a regular father and son relationship, " I suppose I have only myself to blame. Hugo was always... more meticulous than the other two, he knew that your family was my source of suffering. He could never look past that, and so, he hated you both. I did a terrible job at reassuring him." Adrien looked at her sadly as they both walked into the maze.

"You don't have to go through all that to have them keep a good opinion of me. I would hated myself too," Adrien murmured as Marinette sharply looked at him with a disappointment in her eyes that made him regret his choice of words.

"One's children should always have a good image of their father. If they can't even trust one of the key figures in their lives who loves and supports them unconditionally, then what do we have then as a family? A dysfunctional ticking time bomb that's bound to implode on itself. That's why, I told them all the stories about the great things you've done and the bad as well, but how you've matured to be the kindest people I have ever met," Marinette stated firmly as Adrien couldn't help but smile warmly at her.

"Thank you and I promise, I will never make them feel abandoned again," Adrien nodded firmly as Marinette nodded back and he couldn't help but add, "I know I make promises like these a lot and it doesn't seem like I fulfill them because of everything that's happened but I will set things right. Once and for all." Adrien walked ahead into the maze with Marinette.

Hugo kept running, feeling his lungs struggle to keep up with him with every passing second. He felt like he was pretty deep into the maze now, but he still had no idea what he was supposed to do. Was he supposed to find his way out on the other side of the maze or in the middle? The Gabriel puppets kept hounding him every turn he made and he fought back with a ferocity he'd never felt before. He was dodging every blow, gracefully yet forcefully making his way through. Suddenly, he entered into a wider, more open area as there was no longer corridors but open space. Or at least it seemed that way; Hugo could tell that that the scale of the maze just became bigger and the corridors were merely gigantic enough to be considered an open space. Either way, it was a perfect place for him to consider his options.

"This is starting to get old, what's my challenge?" Hugo thought as he continued to flip over one of the Gabriels and side-kicked him in the face, sending him back. The walls seemed to keep moving and changing as if they were waiting to crush Hugo. He ran towards the middle of the open area and then he stopped as projections started playing on the walls all around him. Looking closer, Hugo could make out either Adrien or Gabriel in each of the projections doing something different. In one of them, he could see the moment Adrien called his mom a gold digger, and in another, he could see Gabriel having that dreadful one on one conversation with his mom when she and Adrien reunited. Whipping around and examining all of them, Hugo then realised something terrifying as he staggered and tried to keep his eyes on the projections.

"These projections are like reminders... of how much I hate them... Gabriel and Adrien.. but Adrien... he's trying to be better for Maman. He, he helped me with my speech, he gave Emma the father-daughter dance she always wanted. He performed with Louis at his piano recital when Louis messed up and gave one of the most moving performances I have ever seen. And yet why... WHY CAN I NOT FIND IT IN MY HEART TO FORGIVE HIM!" Hugo yelled out to the projections as if they had an answer, "I wish I could love you, and see you as my dad, but something's holding me back and I don't know what it is." Hugo didn't really think anybody would answer him, but to his shock, someone did.

"It's quite simple really," Hugo turned around to find one the Gabriel puppets strangely calm and collected unlike its spastic behaviour before; it was acting like regular Gabriel. Hugo slowly backed his way as Gabriel slowly made his way towards him, "you just don't think you can truly trust your own father, just like Adrien had a great deal of mistrust for me a long time ago."

"Papa still doesn't trust you even now, so it's not like anything changed between you two," Hugo retorted while Gabriel chuckled as he slowed to a stop, just a few steps away from Hugo.

"That may very well be true, your mother, you, and your siblings mean everything to him. It's quite sickly noble if you ask me," Gabriel scoffed as Hugo made a face of disgust at his flippant attitude towards family sentiment.

"Didn't you use to have that?" Hugo asked as Gabriel narrowed his eyes at him.

"Have what?"

"Have something precious that meant the world to you? I mean, you don't seem like the kind of person who would ruin their son's life on a daily basis," Hugo explained as he saw a flash of loathing and remorse cross Gabriel's eyes.

"Something... precious? Yes I do believe I had that once..." Gabriel recalled forlornly as Hugo thought about he meant. He then suddenly remembered his mom telling something about Papa.

"You mean... with Grandma? Maman told me about how Papa told her about Grandma being in a coma for a very long time. Is that why you changed?" Hugo asked as Gabriel looked indignantly at him, with a rage that definitely answered his question.

"I have nothing to lose now... she's never going to wake up... no medicine, miracle, occult method, or anything will bring us back... to that blissful moment, when our future was happy," Gabriel looked darkly at Hugo, who shrunk back in fear as he tried to find a way to stall for time. Stall for what, he doesn't know.

"So you think because your future got derailed, you think it's justified to ruin your son's? Because if you do, that's the sorriest excuse I've heard for a father," Hugo felt his backbone regain some of its confidence as Gabriel looked calculatedly at him, as if he was gauging something.

"You wouldn't understand... the pain of having to keep a family together, when it's falling apart," Gabriel shook his head as he again slowly made his way towards Hugo, who backed away.

"You're not supposed to keep your son in the past, to suffer alongside you, because you're never gonna let it go. He's finally found happiness for himself when he reunited with Maman, and you would rob him of that? Even though he's already faced years beyond my comprehension of sorrow and pain?" Hugo asked as he found that Gabriel didn't answer but he continued anyway, "and you're wrong, I do know what it's like to have a family that's tearing at the seams," As Hugo kept explaining, he felt his eyes watering as he remembered how hard it must have been for Louis, "Or at least, my brother knows, Lou's been through more than what I can imagine. He's been traumatised when he was my age, having to fight battles that he's too young for, and on top of that, Maman and Lou had to raise both me and Emma by themselves. And as much as I know that Lou was so happy to have siblings and for Maman to have more precious bundles of joy, I also know that I derailed their lives, because they had to constantly watch their backs, BECAUSE of you wanting to murder them every week. So don't you tell me I don't know what it's like, because I don't want Maman and Lou to feel like that." Hugo knew the tears were falling down his face but he didn't care, he knew what he was saying was true. Truth be told, he didn't want Adrien to feel like that either, "and you know what?"

"What? Boy?" Gabriel asked.

"I don't want Papa to feel like I derailed his life either because he now has three children who really want to love him and get to know him. And I don't want him to feel as if he's being cornered by something as overwhelming as this," Hugo cried as he stopped backing away and just let Gabriel approach, who seemed ready to kill him.

"You're right, you derail the lives of everyone around you, and it's all the more reason for you to disappear. You were a mistake to begin with, you were never meant to be born. And can you live with that? Being a mistake and a burden to everyone around you?" Gabriel asked as Hugo felt a wave of fear hit him as he let those words sink in. He didn't want to believe that those words were true, but they were, but hearing them out loud, just made him feel broken. Hugo could only stand there in fear as Gabriel inched closer, his spastic behaviour returning slowly but surely. Suddenly, Hugo felt a hand on his shoulder and Hugo almost jumped but turned around in alarm to see Adrien and his mom looking straight at Gabriel.

"Papa?!" Hugo exclaimed as Adrien took a moment to look at him and smiled softly, filling Hugo with a warmth that gave him confidence again.

"I heard what you said Hugo, and I don't feel as if you derailed my life. You may have been a shock for sure, but I really do feel like it was meant to be this way," Adrien softly said as Hugo felt his eyes watering again and Marinette immediately hugged him, soothing him by rubbing circles into his back.

"You okay sweetie?" Marinette asked as she checked for any signs of injuries, which there were since he was fighting a horde of monsters inside a maze, "you've had it rough until now, and I'm sorry I didn't look closer at your doubt towards your father."

"It's fine... but... how are you guys here?" Hugo asked as Adrien turned his head to look at him.

"That's not really important, but there is one question I want you to answer Hugo," Adrien looked softly at Hugo, who awaited the question.

"Do you trust me?"

Hugo was taken aback slightly by the question but he immediately composed himself and broke out into a wide grin.

"Of course I do, I'm sorry it took me a while, but yeah, Papa, I trust you," Hugo wipes away his tears of now joy and Adrien smiled wider.

"Thank you... that's all I needed to hear buddy," Adrien winked as he drew a fencing saber out of midair and brandished it at Gabriel, who looked amusingly at it.

"You think by defeating me, your problems will go away? Don't make me laugh. I am just one out of many," Gabriel grinned evilly but he drew out his own fencing saber, "but I'll entertain your little fencing game, COME ADRIEN!"

Gabriel lunged forward to stab Adrien, who dodged and hit the saber slightly to the side to make it barely miss him. Gabriel kept lunging and attacking but Adrien expertly parried every single attack with a fluidity that was almost seamless. The two kept at it, slashing at each other for a while with Marinette holding Hugo close to her. Suddenly the pair heard a rickety sound from behind and they turned around to find that more Gabriel puppets were making their way into the open space.

"Oh no, there's more coming!" Marinette looked frantically at them all while Hugo scanned through the crowd to gauge how many there were. Adrien made a momentary glance at the incoming enemies and grit his teeth. However, Hugo couldn't do anything but smile.

"Hmph, we've got this, those things aren't a match for us," Hugo steeled his resolve as Marinette looked between him and the puppets and smiled knowingly.

"You've really grown inside this dream haven't you?" Marinette asked as Hugo scratched his head in slight embarrassment.

"I suppose you can say that, but we need to fight these guys off Maman!" Hugo exclaimed as Marinette nodded and faced the puppets again, somehow pulling her signature metal extendable staff out of thin air, "how did you get that?"

"It's a dream remember? You can think of anything you want," Marinette explained as Hugo's jaw dropped.

"Wait, then couldn't have thought myself a way out of this dream a long time ago?!" Hugo exclaimed as he shook his head in frustration.

"No I don't think it's all that simple but you can conjure anything you think can help you, without cheating the whole dream world challenge," Marinette guessed as Hugo shrugged and conjured a pair of daggers he uses for martial arts.

"I was never really good as using these in real life, but now's good time to start," Hugo sighed as the pair charged into the horde of puppets, immediately taking out a group within one attack. They continued to fight until they subdued them long enough in order to make a run for it in the opposite direction. Miraculously, as they ran, another corridor opened as if it was opened upon completion of something. The trio ran into that corridor and made a few more twists and turns until they made it to a giant circular room with a portal in the middle.

"Is that? Our way out?" Marinette asked as they made their way closer to the portal, its wisps of celestial energy passing by Hugo. A voice then suddenly ran out of nowhere, booming throughout the maze.

"Hugo... let me ask one question: do you feel whole?"

Hugo furrowed his brows in confusion as he thought about what the voice meant. However, he felt extremely happy now that he could accept his father into his life, and he felt like that was an answer enough.

"Yeah, I feel as if, my family is finally back together, and that makes my heart feel whole."

The portal shined brighter to that response and the voice spoke again.

"It seems you have accomplished your challenge, you three may proceed into your last dream before you have to save a life lost to regret," The voice called out as Hugo tilted his head in thought.

"Wait... a life lost to regret?" Hugo asked as Marinette replied for him.

"Louis, didn't complete his challenge, he may be stuck in the abyss of sleep, forever," Marinette replied slowly as she remembered the events of his challenge with Hugo immediately gasping in horror.

"Lou, he... failed? Then we have to save him and Emma! They're suffering! Being left alone to face their fears. Maman, Papa, let's save them, together!" Hugo barely got his words out as Adrien and Marinette nodded in agreement as they all headed into the portal together to face the next dream.

Emma's.


	23. Chapter22:LeftBehind

I'm so scared of being left behind, it's horrifying to think about. No matter if I run or fly or teleport, I'll find myself here, wondering if I can find the strength to look at the sky again. What if, with my own steps, my own path, I blur the image of the sky I knew so well, now it looks distorted. I can press on, I'm sure of it.

"Where... am I?" Emma asked as she lifted her head off the ground to scan her surroundings before yelling and falling on her but as she looked at where she was. It was like two skies were mirroring each other, each cloud in the same place, traveling to someplace she's never known before, "It's like... two skies, wow this looks so weird, and it's making me dizzy too.. WHOSE IDEA WAS IT TO MAKE MY CHALLENGE AN OPTICAL ILLUSION?!"

Emma yelled out to the sky but no one seemed to respond. She sighed as she started to walk, noticing how each of her steps step a ripple through the sky's reflection, as if she was walking on water. Emma looked around but it looked like there was no end to the sky, it looked like it went on forever.

"Strange... it's like... this entire place is empty..." Emma murmured to herself as she continued to walk, hearing that familiar sound of water splashing. As she kept walking, she noticed a group of figures in the distance. Curious, she ran a little further so she could see them clearly and she saw her family standing there, backs facing her. Her eyes darted from her father to the mother to her two brothers. It was like they didn't even notice her, "Hey you guys! I'm here!"

They didn't respond, but Emma kept trying to call out, "Do you guys even hear me? I'm right behind you!" They still didn't move a single muscle and Emma tried to approach them, but as soon as she got within touching distance, her foot suddenly fell through the surface and she fell underneath the sky. Emma looked around while holding her breath to find that even though the entire space under the surface was just the sky all around, it was like it was completely water. Emma tried to hold her breath for as long as she could, but ultimately, she ran out of breath and she felt the consciousness being taken out of her.

"Ughhh... Where am I?" Emma groaned as she woke up again in the same place where she started. She propped herself up and looked around frantically to see the world didn't even change when she fell through the surface, "What... is going on here?" She looked in the direction she walked in last time and she saw her family just standing there, still as ever. She slowly got up and swayed on her feet, struggling to stay standing.

"I might as well... keep trying," Emma murmured as she ran towards them again, however, each time she got close enough, she would just fall through the surface again and drown. After a couple of tries, she just sat there on the surface, just observing her family, "what happens if I just sit here? Does anything happen?" Emma asked aloud as she looked around to see if anything would happened, but all she heard was the wind blowing and the soft splashes of the water. Suddenly, taking one last look at her family, she started crying, bowing her head down and dropping her face between her knees.

"I'm so scared... that I'll be left behind... but I just can't seem to reach them, Maman, Papa, Lou, Hugo. I'm sorry... I don't understand what you want me to do... you're just standing there, not doing anything. How am I supposed to know how to overcome my challenge?" Emma cried as she continued to sob into her knees, until she heard some sort of sparkling noise and she looked up to find some sort of entity materialised next to her, glowing and sparkling in golden lights. Emma could almost make out something that seemed human and the person sat down next to her.

"I see you've been left behind too. I'm sorry... a girl like you doesn't belong here..." the person spoke as Emma wiped her tears and looked suspiciously at the person.

"W-w-who are you?" Emma asked as the sparkles making up the person seem to move as if the person were contemplating the question.

"Hmmm, it's not exactly important, but just know that I'm like you: stuck in a deep, endless sleep with no idea how to escape from here." The person answered as Emma felt her stomach fill with a sense of dread.

"What? You've never escaped from here? My family is fighting to get out of here, I can't let myself lose here!" Emma exclaimed as she stood up but reminded herself that whenever she tried to reach her family, she would just drown.

"I've been here so long... I really can't remember who I am... forgive me..." The person said as Emma sat back down and looked closely at the person, barely making out the human figure.

"It's fine but... did you... have people waiting for you? Outside this dream world?" Emma asked.

"Hmmmm, I would like to think that I did, I'm sorry, my memories, they seem to be faded, I can't seem to remember why I'm even here. They're lost somewhere in this endless sky..." The person replied as Emma looked forward again and nodded.

"Hmmm.. that's too bad, do you remember anything? Like at all?" Emma asked as the person responded again.

"Hmmm.. I do faintly remember... a boy... crying over a woman... somewhere... but I don't know whether that memory is mine... or someone else's" The person recalled as Emma thought about her words and wondered about them.

"Well, you've been here for such a long time, I think that memory is yours. Do you think you're the boy? Or the woman?" Emma asked as she heard the twinkle of the sparkles as the person moved slightly.

"Maybe the woman... but I find myself watching from afar mostly. I wonder why that boy was crying? Perhaps I'll never know..." The person sighed as Emma leaned back slightly and looked at the sky in peace.

"You know, I never thought I'd find another person in this place. Seems like a weird place to meet," Emma murmured but the person heard her anyway.

"Likewise... tell me Emma, what do you fear?" The person asked with Emma snapping her head towards the figure.

"How did you know my name?" Emma asked, tilting her head in a questioning pose as she saw the golden sparkles float around and freeze in midair.

"I'm not entirely sure... I must have heard your name somewhere... someone must have told me. This world is truly small after all, even if I don't remember my own name," Emma listened as she felt saddened by her companion's words.

"Well... if you must know, I'm afraid of being left behind. The fear of my family being ripped apart right before my eyes. And I'm so powerless to do anything... my grandpa, or that monster, he won't stop at nothing to make sure that my memory and my siblings' memories are erased, and it's just so disheartening," Emma cried as she tried to wipe away her tears again without much luck.

"I understand... I remember... having someone dear to me who's been through that situation once... he... was never really in touch with his emotions nor the emotions of anyone around him. He didn't care for the emotions of others at all, and he just did what he wanted..." The person recalled as Emma looked at her curiously.

"You're remembering an awful lot you know? Can you remember anything else? Maybe we can get your sense of self back!" Emma asked as the person thought more about how to continue her memory. It was like a puzzle game where the person had to find the snippet of the memory that made the most sense with the following story.

"I remember... the boy dreaming of a faraway life, far far away from the life that's been made his prison. Grasping the future... with his own hands. I remember how the person dear to me reached into the depths of his heart and unleashed a drowning wave of horror into his future. How terrible..." The person recalled, the sparkles spinning around, creating an even more distinct human figure to Emma's eyes.

"It's kinda like my situation... you don't want to be left behind, you want to wake up, and help however you can, but you can't... because you're stuck here," Emma mumbled as she looked down at the sky, "It's crippling."

"I want to help that boy... I feel like he's been waiting for me for a long time... but I just never answered his call I suppose..." The person sighed as the two sat there in silence, not knowing what to say. Emma felt like she had to say something but nothing came out when she opened her mouth.

"Ummm... are you gonna answer his call? And make it away from here?" Emma asked as the person bowed their head and sighed.

"I don't suppose so... I don't have the resolve to escape from here... but what about you?" The person asked as Emma looked forward again and saw the figures of her family still standing there.

"I feel like... I can let go... let go of hiding and being protected... my family needs me, but if I end up disappearing here... I'll be fine," Emma smiled bitterly as the person just looked at her fixedly.

"I don't think it's necessarily true that you'll be left behind, because even if you give up on the prospect of going home, your family will always come back to save you," The person reached her hand out and touched Emma's shoulder to get her attention. Emma looked up and saw the person's translucent and sparkly finger point out towards the sky. Emma looked out at where her family was and saw Adrien, Hugo, and Marinette running towards her.

"Maman! Papa! Hugo! W-w-what are you doing here?" Emma stood up to meet them as Adrien hugged her tightly. Adrien let go and rested his hands on her shoulders, checking to see if she had any injuries.

"Emma, are you ok? What did you do here?" Marinette asked as she took her turn to hug Emma. Emma smiled brightly and gestured to all of herself.

"I'm fine, I've been sitting here with this person, I don't know who she is, but we were just talking this entire time. Well, before that, there was like a mirage where you guys were standing so far away and whenever I would try to get close, I would fall through the sky and drown. However, I would always find myself at the start," Emma explained as she turned around to see the person standing and she noticed that the sparkles were starting to scatter, "Wait! I don't know who you are, but don't you have someone waiting for you?!"

"What matters is that you're safe and you're returned to your family. Seeing that, gives me peace, and that's all I need. Thank you for a lovely conversation Emma, and maybe we can have one again one day," The person continued to scatter into the sky but she turned her head towards Adrien and he felt a strong sense of home and nostalgia. They stared at each other like that for a moment and then he finally understood. He felt himself take a harsh breath and tears were threatening to fall from his eyes. Finally, he pulled a bright smile and wiped those tears away.

"Do you know who she was Papa?" Emma asked as Adrien gently took her hand and looked down at her with a warm nod.

"Yeah..." Adrien said slowly as he watched the golden sparkles of the person disappear into the sky, it was like he was finally saying goodbye to a regret he's had for such a long time, and Marinette could sense it.

"It seems like the end of an era, and yet it's so hard to let go... This was your final gift to me and my future... thank you, for protecting my daughter in my place. Someday, we'll meet again."

Somewhere out in the world, a heartbeat monitor could be heard flatlining, never to spike again. As the static buzz of people gathering around the bed grew still, the mind slipped away to nothingness, a deeper abyss. A light flashed into the reality of a new caliber, watching over loved ones, until the end of time.


	24. Chapter23:Awakening

Author's Note: Hey guys SnivyLord here! I just wanted to let you know that the chapters after Chapter 24 are going to take some time, but I am writing them right now so don't worry because I am working steadily on getting these chapters out. I wanted to thank you all for the lovely reviews and I sincerely hope you all enjoy the story and tell me all about it, because I do read all of them. I took a lot of influences for this chapter and I really hope you'll like it. I'll see you guys in the next chapter: Chapter 24: A Father Again.

What do I want? It's to get out of here, to wake up and fight once again for the cause I believe in, but I can't do that. Does that ultimately mean that I must remain here? I can feel that I have seen these shores before, my memories slowly washing away here. It must be such a sad and lonely place, nobody to love and nobody to turn to. This is a fitting place for memories to disappear. However, I'll wait here... I know someone will find me, and these waters will carry me far far away from here. Into the light.

Louis wandered through the endless darkness, hearing his own footsteps pounding away at the floor for what seemed like ages. Finally, his eyes caught a difference in the different shades of darkness he was seeing and he could actually make out hints of light. Louis then covered his eyes as he made it out onto what seemed like a clearing with a beach. He could hear the sounds of the lapping water and the moon shined its ephemeral light on the waters.

"Where... am I?" Louis carefully stepped out into the light, noticing the full moon and its oddly weird size. It seemed bigger than the moons he'd seen, but this was a dream, so what difference did it make, "another random place of the day I see... damn it. I really thought that was a way out of here." Louis sighed as he walked up to the water and tried to see the bottom, but it was a dark and murky depth that he couldn't see. Suddenly, he felt like he was being watched and he turned around to find a woman in a long beige coat sitting on a rock, watching him.

"So you've found your way here too? It's not often I get visitors," the woman spoke as Louis slowly let down his guard and walked up to her and sat on the sand, watching her carefully. She seemed familiar and he's sure he's seen her somewhere before.

"Well, a pit of darkness and a beach at night wasn't exactly what I thought in mind. But... do I know you from somewhere?" Louis asked, looking up at her as she stared out over the waters.

"I don't think we've ever met, but you have heard of me. My name is Emilie," the woman answered as Louis suddenly realized who she was.

"Wait, Emilie? As in, Dad's mom Emilie? Grandma?" Louis asked incredulously as Emilie laughed nervously and nodded.

"Well I don't think I'm old enough to be your grandma but technically I am. It's nice to finally meet you Louis," Emilie pulled a warm smile that Louis returned and they stared out over the ocean together.

"So? Why are you here? Did you get blown up by Gabriel too?" Louis mumbled ruefully as he felt her stiffen next to him and he realized how rude he was, "Oh Emilie I am so sorry, I didn't know what I was"

"No it's fine, it's just... I can't help but think you're right. Ever since I went into that coma some almost 20 years ago, I feel like everyone's lives were uprooted by him." Emilie explained as Louis nodded and thought about what she said, contemplating how 20 long years has passed for her.

"Well, Dad told me your condition was a permanent vegetative state and Gabriel paid huge amounts of money to keep you alive for this long," Louis fiddled with his thumbs as he heard her sigh.

"Sometimes I wished things didn't have to escalate this far. But Louis, understand that none of this is your fault. If it's anyone's, it's mine," Emilie folded her hands together and looked down in her lap as if she was ashamed.

Louis glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and sighed, "I wish I could blame you for what happened, but I know that I can't. Because it really isn't your fault." He lowered his head to his knees and continued looking out over the water.

"You remind me a lot of Adrien. You really do take after your father," Emilie chuckled as she brought a hand to her lips to stifle them. Louis perked up at the sentence, but then eased off again.

"Really? I hardly know him, and yet, it seems as if I've known him my entire life. It hardly makes up for anything though. At some point, it just gets difficult to decide who to blame," Louis thought aloud as Emilie nodded her head in agreement and replied.

"You don't know whether to blame me, your father, or even Gabriel. And now, when you're staring at death and it's darkness in the face, it seems ambiguously significant," Emilie thought with Louis subconsciously digging his fingers into the sand and playing with the many granules, letting them slip between his fingers.

"I stared at my challenge in the face, and I failed. I remember when I laid there, disappearing in front of my parents, I felt so bitter yet hopeful," Louis murmured as he let the sound of the waves fill his ears; he felt his unease fading and he sank more into a place of complacency.

Emilie adjusted her sitting position before noting something else, "You know, what I find different about you?" Louis turned his head slightly to look at her, "you always were more in touch with your emotions than Adrien ever was. You're constantly haunted by your inner demons and people close to you can tell. Adrien, he always wanted to think he was an open book to his friends, but he knew he wasn't. You always think about your regrets, and I believe that's what's keeping you here."

"Really? My regrets... dragged me down into a deeper abyss? I see... so, given that you've been here longer than I have, I assume your regrets are keeping you here as well?" Louis remarked as he fully turned his head to look at Emilie, who looked out over the ocean."

"Perhaps," Emilie said quietly.

"Well, I failed, so... is this place it? I'm just going to stay here with my regrets? Because I've already proven that I can't seem to let go of my failures," Louis scoffed as he rested his chin on his knees. Emilie took a moment to gaze upon Louis for a moment before replying.

"No, I don't believe so... if it helps, I want you to think about the mistakes you made, and the reason why you made them. Then think, what was the consequence of having to make that mistake that specific way. It doesn't have to be a negative consequence, but think about what your action gave you. And maybe that will teach you to appreciate your decisions and how those decisions helped you get this far, good or bad. I mean, you're 14... so you must be doing something right if you've survived this long."

Louis thought about his mistakes as Emilie told him, and he had a rush of memories, not just from this dreamworld, but also from reality. He thought about how a six year old made the decision to fight against a 40 or so year old man and nearly get himself killed. He stabbed the man with a scalpel for goodness sake. However, when he thought about it, the reason he did it was because he was protecting his mom and his siblings. Albeit thanks to him, they all survived, and when Louis thought about that, he felt his chest get lighter.

"Good, you're seeing the light behind your decisions. It's not just a traumatising decision that cripples your ability to appreciate fortunate things in your life. You can do it. You can let it go, continue Louis," Emilie urged as Louis nodded and closed his eyes to let the nostalgia wash over him again. He thought about the recital bombing, and how he made the mistake of agreeing to Gabriel's plan to blow up the recital hall. But what did he make that decision for? What was the light behind it? He did it because he wanted to buy time for his family and save them from being sniped.

"And you did exactly that," Emilie remarked as Louis opened his eyes again as he flashed Emilie a questionable look.

"Are you reading my mind or something?" Louis asked incredulously.

"Something like that. Now, know this. You did succeed in buying time, you don't know this, but Nathalie stopped the snipers while you were playing," Emilie explained, and with this Louis' eyes widened in shock.

"Sh-she did?" Louis stuttered out his response, his ears couldn't believe that Nathalie went ahead and stopped the snipers. He guessed he should be thankful that Nathalie had the courage to stop them, even after the mean things he said.

"I can tell you regret that mistake a lot, since it was part of the premise of your challenge, but know that you did succeed and you made that decision for a good reason," Emilie reassured Louis, who nodded and felt a small smile tug at his lips, "A good quality for a leader is that they can't second guess their choices, and they consider them with a good ulterior motive in mind for all the people they are responsible for. And you got it in spades, for all of your family."

"But I couldn't... I couldn't stop him in the end," Louis tried to doubt himself again but Emilie wouldn't have it.

"You couldn't, and that's true, but that isn't your fault. You didn't know Gabriel had a fail safe in place in case if Adrien and Marinette managed to stop you. Your biggest fear in that moment was that you were going to kill your family with your own hands. But you didn't, however Gabriel was responsible as he may have indirectly caused you to activate the bomb. Regardless, you didn't activate it, but the bomb ended up going off anyway," Emilie explained calmly as Louis huffed out an annoyed breath and snapped his head towards Emilie.

"And that's supposed to make me feel better?!" Louis exclaimed as Emilie let out a small chuckle and continued to reach a hand out and ruffle Louis' hair slightly.

"Your family is fighting right now to wake up from their nightmare right? Along with you, and all of you are going to make it back to reality. I promise," Emilie spoke with a impassioned voice, and Louis looked up to see that unwavering certainty in her eyes. At that moment, he knew she meant it.

"But what about you?" Louis asked as he wiped a tear away from the intense moment, "you... are you going to make it back?"

Emilie sighed and flashed him a small smile, "It's a little too late for me Louis, I've already died in real life not too long ago," Louis gasped and whispered an "oh no" under his breath as he reached up and grabbed his grandma's hand.

"I'm sorry... I had no idea, and yet you're helping me through this... how... could this happen? You deserve to be alive!" Louis exclaimed as she could see the disdain and lament in his eyes.

"There's no need to be sad Louis, I wanted to help you, my grandson went through so many things that he shouldn't have. Your childhood deserved to be beautiful and magical, and yet your life was plagued by me and Gabriel. And I'm sorry that I couldn't do more... No one came for me in the land of ocean and sky, where the consciousness dies. Your sister ended up there, and I saved her too before it was too late," Emilie broke down crying, knowing that this was the last thing she can do for the people she cares about. It made her feel so bitter and sad, her tears becoming lost in the sand. She felt like such a heavy weight was dragging down her body as she talked, "I hope you can forgive me someday when you make it back..."

"Grandma... Emilie... there's nothing to forgive. Thank you for everything, truly. Just know that I'm not going to blame it on you, ever, and I'm sorry I thought I could before. But I know Dad is trying to step up to his role. I just can't seem to believe it," Louis replied tearfully, squeezing his grandma's hand for a moment and just before Emilie managed to reply, another voice joined their conversation.

"And you shouldn't... because he never will," Emilie and Louis stood up from their seats and whipped around to find Gabriel walking up to the shore and staring out over the water. After a moment, he took a long look at the pair, who were obviously alarmed.

"Gabriel! W-what are you doing here?" Emilie asked as Louis looked away uninterested as she kept her eyes on him.

"I thought I would find you here in this place Emilie... and you don't deserve to be here..." Gabriel murmured with Louis scoffing at his words and laughing out loud.

"That's rich, coming from you. You're the one that should be here. Not her," Louis laughed ruefully as he looked sideways at Gabriel, who smirked and continued to look out over the water.

"Always one to start a fight Louis? I truly don't understand how you can still be so feisty despite all I've done to you," Gabriel chuckled as he turned to face the pair and Louis narrowed his eyes at the action. The tension was palpable, the moon shone upon the three, it's moonlight illuminating the different expressions on everyone's faces. Anger. Amusement. Apathy.

"Hmph, you think you can show up here, all calm and collected like nothing happened. Emilie has been watching from afar, witnessing the evil atrocities you have committed and yet you still have the audacity to stand there like you're still worthy of forgiveness, YOU MAKE ME SICK!" Louis yelled with increasing volume as he felt a hand on his shoulder and he found Emilie looking at him sympathetically and stepping forward ahead of him.

"Louis is right. Gabriel, what has happened to you? You were always meticulous and extremist, but this is too far, EVEN for you. So there's another reason why you're going this far?" Emilie asked as Gabriel closed his eyes in thought and sighed.

"Perhaps... I was bitter, bitter that in spite of what I was doing for Adrien, he found something worthwhile: a family. It seemed as if my efforts were wasted, trying to bring you back Emilie," Gabriel replied with a wistful tone and Louis felt as if something was off about that statement.

"No... that's not the only reason. When Mom told me about the story about when it happened. It was obvious that Adrien was too young to be a father when Mom had me and after that, you... tried to take Hugo and Emma from the hospital when they were born, even though at that point, it would have been reasonable to let Dad know he had kids. Mom had always told me that the artificial insemination incident was an accident, but now. I think you had something to do with it," Louis realized as he kept his train of thought when he thought about the circumstances. He was interrupted from his thoughts when Emilie softly chimed in.

"He did... but you don't know in what way... because you don't remember," Emilie softly said as Louis whipped around at her and was taken aback.

"He did.. what did he do! I know that he threatened us because Mom somehow had conceived Hugo and Emma who were also Dad's kids, but was there something else beneath the surface?" Louis asked exasperatedly as Emilie opened her mouth to respond but closed it again as she thought. However as she opened her mouth to speak again, they heard a shout.

"NO EMILIE! DON'T ANSWER HIS QUESTION!" The two looked in Gabriel's direction to find him rushing towards them with his arm outstretched. Louis immediately placed himself in front of Emilie and grabbed Gabriel's hand and used his other arm to elbow Gabriel hard in the stomach. He heard a grunt of pain and Louis continued by using his foot to kick Gabriel's knee in and pushed him off while he was off balance.

"You little-.." Gabriel started as he got up from the ground, only to be struck by a roundhouse kick to the face by the boy.

"I may not know the full details of what you did... but there's one thing I know for sure: You just have a penchant for control, a complex, an obsession with control!" Louis clenched his fist and looked at Gabriel with a look that could kill. Gabriel tried to wipe off the bruise on his cheek, but only managed to wipe off the blood. Gabriel then abruptly stood up and charged towards Louis, grabbing him by the arms with Louis digging his heels into the ground so he couldn't be pushed back.

"If you think I'm going to be lectured and berated by a boy, YOU ARE SORELY MISTAKEN! I'm taking Emilie back with me and you're going to die here in the darkness!" Gabriel yelled as with greater force, he knocked Louis off balance. Then, Emilie rushes forward and tried to pry them apart to no avail.

"Wait Gabriel! Stop! I'll go with you! Just don't hurt him!" Emilie pleaded as Louis tried to regain his footing but Gabriel swung his arms around and with a loud yell, threw Louis in the ocean. Louis felt himself disconnect from Gabriel and fly through the air as he took one last look at the shore where those two were and fell onto the ominous waters. There was a yell, then a splash, and then nothing. Emilie looked on in disbelief as the boy didn't surface, but the ripples of the splash were washed away by the never ending tides of the ocean, "No..." Emilie sunk to her knees as her eyes remained fixed on the ocean, hopeful that the boy would resurface, but he didn't. After a moment, she looked up at Gabriel, who was looking out at the sea as well.

"It had to be done..." Gabriel murmured as Emilie looked down in her lap and clenched her fists.

"No! It didn't! That boy! He had so much life to live! Are you that bitter and that selfish that you would ruin Adrien's future just to repair your own?" Emilie asked as Gabriel sighed with no response. It was as if there was no difference between right and wrong for him.

"I guess I am..."

Louis felt himself sink into the depths and his body felt heavy and even if he tried, he couldn't move a muscle. It was strange because the water didn't seem to inhibit his ability to breathe, just his ability to move.

"Is this it? My struggle to stay alive... my journey ends here... I have no strategy or plan... no final cards left to play. I have lost... I feel neither pain nor suffering. Just nothing... absolutely nothing," Louis felt his thoughts speak out to him as he sunk further and further away from the minimal light of the surface. The moon did almost nothing to light the waters, but that was fine; he didn't need to see anything anyway. Louis tilted his head down slightly to see that his charm bracelet was glowing brightly in the darkness even though the rest of his body was unknown to him. He could see the yellow, teal, magenta, and green colors clearly as his body became light.

"My charm bracelet... your light was granted by my parents' hope and love. You don't need to save me, not anymore. I don't know how I'll get out of this," Louis started to say to himself as he suddenly heard a broken voice fill his ear.

"Lou... fi-... ack... yo-... n... ke... up..." Louis felt bubbles pass him as they made their way to the top, but Louis turned his head around to see the depths, to find a light at the very bottom.

"What?" Louis wondered aloud as the voice became more clear, invigorating him with hope.

"Louis...figh-... ack... you... can... ke... up."

"Louis!" A clear voice cut through his thoughts and Louis whipped around to find that he was still alone. However, he recognized the voice.

"Mom?" Louis called out but another voice filled his ears.

"Louis! Fight back! You can wake up from this nightmare!" That was Adrien's voice, his father's voice calling out to him. More voices started to fill his ears as Louis recognized the voices of his siblings as well.

"Lou! Go towards the light! You're nearly there!" Hugo called out. Louis then turned his body around and felt his body slowly float towards the light. It was strange because Louis couldn't no longer tell which direction was the surface, it was just nothingness.

"Don't let Gabriel dictate your life Lou! I know you can make it!" Emma encouraged Louis, but even though he heard them, his body was wrested out of his control, all he could do was watch the light get closer. Bit by bit, the light started to fill more of the water and it became brighter. Eventually, he felt as if he was near the surface and he faintly saw a hand outstretched to him, as if it was waiting for Louis to its hand. Even though it took a tremendous amount of effort, Louis managed to move his hand and reach it towards the outstretched hand. Slowly, their hands touched and Louis felt the hand's warmth wrap around his. It was like a protective, fatherly force but Louis didn't have the mental will to register who it was. However, that didn't matter because the hand suddenly pulled him forcefully upward and out of the water. A bright light then filled his vision and it was like some sort of dream because his eyes just opened miraculously again, but it wasn't water or darkness or anything like that, but it was a white ceiling. Blinking his eyes slowly, he stared up at the ceiling for a few long moments, wondering if this was somehow a test.

"Ughhhh... This is..." Louis murmured but was too tired to finish. He heard a faint beeping, it's rhythm steady and lonely. Louis slowly turned his head to look at the source, which was a heartbeat monitor, "the hospital?" He weakly let his body relax and he slowly looked down to find that his arms were completely covered in bandages. There was no evidence of skin at all, although it figures considering he was blown up. He heard someone move and he saw a familiar head of blond hair.

"Dad... you're here?" Louis asked weakly as Adrien took his hand and held it firmly in his grasp. The sensation was so familiar and Louis immediately recognized it as the hand that pulled him out of his dream.

"Yeah... and I see you're awake. And to think we almost lost you..." Adrien murmured softly as Louis noticed his tears in his emerald eyes. Louis then chuckled as he relaxed back in his bed.

"You look like you're about to cry... there's really no need to," Louis replied as Adrien feigned a look of mock indignation, "is everyone else awake?"

"They should be soon," Adrien sighed as the pair felt the stirring of the other family members.

"Thanks Dad for being here... not just for me... but for all of us, I hope we can be a real family under more favorable... circumstances," Louis said through gasps of breath as Adrien softly shushed him and smiled warmly at him.

"I'm really looking forward to it."

"Louis? Is he alright?" The pair heard Marinette say as she turned her head to see her son. Her voice was weak, barely over a whisper.

"Yeah Mom, I'm awake," Louis replied as they heard a sob come from the woman.

"Thank god, he's alright... he's alright... my prayers have been answered," Marinette sighed as Louis smiled and the two couldn't help but grin at each other, with Adrien smiling appreciatively between the two.

"Ughhh... where am I?" Hugo moaned as he brought a hand up to his forehead to ease his headache. He looked to the side to find his brother, dad, and mom awake, "Lou! You're awake! We thought we lost you!"

"Is it over?" Emma asked as she blinked several times in her bed to make sure what she was seeing was real. Adrien chuckled slightly and called out to her.

"Yeah, it's real Emma, we're all awake," Adrien reassured her as she sighed in relief and used her hands to keep her eyes open.

"I am never gonna close my eyes and fall asleep again," Emma said determinedly as Louis let out a weak chuckle and replied.

"That may be a little difficult Emm, but sure, you can try."

"Alright, I'm gonna notify the doctor that you're all awake," Adrien said as Louis adjusted the oxygen mask on his face. He gave one last kiss on the cheek to everyone before leaving out the door with a quiet slam. The four didn't say anything to each other as they just stared forward into space. Eventually Louis spoke again, breaking that atmosphere of calmness and replacing it with an atmosphere of uncertainty. No one had an answer nor did they want to; they were simply too tired to be afraid.

"So... what now?"


	25. Chapter24:AFatherAgain

It was several months after the bombing incident, and the family took their time to recover in the hospital. Everyone but Louis were eventually discharged from the hospital but Louis remained as he had more grievous injuries than anyone else and had to be put in rehabilitation for those months. It had felt everlasting to him, a slow drawl that lasted for a eternity when he knew that Gabriel was still walking out there, free. By this time, he had managed to grow most of his hair back and most of his skin had resurfaced, but the scars remained. His mummy like appearance was just reduced to a few bandages here and there, covering his hands here and there and just a single bandage of his cheek. He continued to stare at the other side of the wall as he let the sunshine wash over him, relishing that subtle warmth. He looked over at the table to grab his new phone as his old one was destroyed in the explosion to see several messages waiting for him.

"Let's see... one from Mom, two from the group chat I have with Gavin and Elena," Louis murmured, his eyes skimming down the list until they landed ont he last one. It was a message from Adrien, his dad. Louis gripped his phone tighter as he laid his back against the pillow. His dad had visited him almost every single day for the past few months and Louis surmised it was because he was trying to make up for 15 years of lost father-son bond time, which seemed almost impossible. However a warm feeling blossomed in Louis' chest as he knew Adrien was trying to step into that role, and that was enough for him. Louis had also looked into the explosion incident as he wanted to know if Gabriel had actually gotten away with it; let's just say, he almost did. Swiping his thumb up to unlock the screen, Louis went over the pictures of the police report his mom sent him and the videos of the press hounding Gabriel from Gavin. The man was merely a highly respected fashion designer, but not even he can get away with this kind of treachery. He had been arrested for only this specific crime but he has the court tied up for the duration of Louis' hospitalization. It astounded Louis that Gabriel hadn't been declared guilty, but his thoughts spoke otherwise: why was he even surprised? It's nothing new, Gabriel has gotten away with everything thus far, however Louis was going to make sure that it doesn't happen again, "I swear... there's no more room for error, Gabriel must pay the consequences..." Louis whispered to himself before allowing himself to be washed away into rest once again.

About halfway across the city, Marinette and Audrey were discussing marketing methods for the former's new clothing line "Adrift," Marinette had postponed development on the line after what happened and the public opinion on the matter had been kind. However, she had to get back into work one way or another and she had to visit Louis again in about half an hour too.

"I hadn't expected you would want to get back into work so soon after the incident, but you certainly surprised me," Audrey smiled knowingly, taking her time to sip her coffee with Marinette nodding in response.

"Yes, I would hate for the work to be delayed for so long, so after we're done with the report here, you can have your assistant," Marinette glanced over at the calm and still assistant that was standing nearby the table, "deliver the proposal to the marketing team."

"Yes, of course, but Marinette, are you sure you're okay? Have your attacks been frequent again?" Audrey asked with a hint of uncertainty as she didn't know how Marinette would take to that question. She set her cup for coffee to await for a response from the woman, who tilted her head down slightly, the shadows from her hair framing her face.

"I would be lying if I said they no longer bothered me... but yes, they do come back frequently. I've had several coping mechanisms to help cope with them though so I don't think you should worry," Marinette said solemnly, folding her hands in her lap and looking at a blank space in her surroundings.

"It does bother you he's still out there then, well, he's tied up in court so there's not much he can do to you, so I suspect you should be fine," Audrey replied as Marinette let out a laugh of mockery as if that sentence meant absolutely nothing, like a joke.

"It's funny that you think that I'm safe, but I know he'll find a way to come back. I've failed to protect my kids too many times to count. I've come to terms that I can't win," Marinette started to explain but Audrey softly cut her off.

"At least... not alone," Audrey added, flashing Marinette a reassuring smile, who slowly looked up to return that smile, "you have me, you have Adrien, and you have all your friends who know the truth."

"Or least part of it anyway," Marinette murmured, making eye contact with Audrey again to find an incredulous look on her face.

"You haven't told them?" Audrey asked quietly as Marinette leaned back to let out a large sigh that she had been keeping. It seemed to her that she was keeping back a lot of things these days: her emotions, her secrets, her life, her kids. It seemed like Marinette always had something to hide, and she hated it.

"Well... no, I have it stuck in my head if I say anything about my situation... it will somehow have consequences that I was subconsciously aware of, and I'm afraid because Gabriel drilled that into me," Marinette shuddered, thinking about how her secrecy was just a mental reflex that never allowed her to open up at all. The saddest part about it is that she didn't know how to get rid of it.

"Well, if it is just a reflex, then you should know your friends," Audrey gestured to herself, "and your significant other, won't let anything happen to you now that they know how dire your situation is. Adrien is trying to become a father, but he needs your willingness to open about everything." Marinette took a thoughtful sip from her cup of tea, pondering about how the reveal affected Adrien. She would think it would have been completely mind boggling and stress-inducing, but she didn't know how to remedy that except to say "you'll do great."

"Then I suppose it's time to tell the truth... about it all..." Marinette murmured as she used her hand to brush back her hair and look at the sky. Almost a year ago, she would have never imagined things would escalate to this point; however she would just have to do with the consequences.

Louis was watching the green line on the heartbeat monitor spike in a rhythmic pattern, faintly conscious of the fact that this was his own heartbeat. He had almost expected it to stop spiking from his own anxiety, but that moment never came. He then heard the door click open and the door moved to reveal Adrien with Hugo and Emma bounding right behind him.

"Hey you two! How was school?" Louis asked cheerily as Emma ran up to hug him, Hugo following with the gesture.

"It's been great! We learned hard multiplication and we learned about different countries," Hugo replied as Louis looked at him through tired eyes, however he still made the effort to lift his hand up to ruffle his brother's hair.

"Hey Louis, how have you been feeling?" Adrien asked as he sat down on the other side of the bed, setting a bag of stuff on the side table.

"Mostly tired Dad, but nothing other than that, I just hate being in this bed for so long," Louis groaned as the family looked sympathetically at him. He hated feeling powerless, but there's nothing he can do.

"You've been here for several months and the doctors said that you wouldn't be discharged until another 3 weeks so I get why you would be depressed here," Adrien rubbed Louis' hand comfortingly, who appreciated the gesture.

"Another... 3... weeks," Louis said with increasing emphatic weakness, time does fly by but it's easier said than done. Emma couldn't help but let out a small laugh before returning back to her serious demeanor. Louis has noticed that Hugo and Emma were a lot more despondent and solemn after the incident and he couldn't blame them. This entire ordeal forced them to be mature about the fact that there's someone actively trying to kill them, and as much as Louis could tell that they were trying to not let it bother them, he knew them better than that, "are you two ok? You still get nightmares Hugo?"

"Mmhmmm..." Hugo shook his head, "not anymore... the headaches have gone away, but not the memories." Louis groaned at his words and sighed, hearing Adrien take something out of the bag and he felt something warm on his leg. Snapping back to reality, he noticed a takeout box of food and he looked at his dad to find smiling.

"I got you all food for lunch, so eat up," Adrien flashed a smile at all of them before Louis tenderly picked up the box and tried to guess the contents.

"Is it... Chinese?" Louis guessed as he slowly opened the flap of the take out box, to find a carton of sautéed soba noodles with vegetables and chicken.

"Well I guess soba noodles are more Japanese but you were close," Adrien smirked as Louis let out a chuckle and the family decided to continue to eat in silence, the atmosphere tense. The atmosphere has always been like this ever since the incident, no one has the heart nor the courage to break the ice or lighten the mood.

"So... how... have you been doing? Since... Emilie's passing?" Louis decided to ask, noticing how Adrien's hand stopped mid way between twirling his fork around the noodles.

"Louis..." Hugo started to say as he set down his carton and glanced at their dad, who sighed in response.

"Fine... it's not like I thought she was ever going to wake up, but it's still... pretty difficult to just wrap my mind around it all," Adrien sighed as Louis could only look at him sympathetically. Suddenly, Adrien turned towards Louis with a look he's never seen before. It was serious and calculating, nothing at all like his usual gentle gaze, "Louis... in your dream, you met her right?"

Louis pondered for a moment before nodding. Adrien's gaze then softened and Louis felt his body release its unknown tension he didn't know he had.

"Yeah... I met her... on a dark beach at night. She was there longer than I have, and she was just sitting there, waiting for me," Louis explained absentmindedly. It was strange because he knew it was a dream and yet every single event that happened was so vivid: meeting his younger self, failing his challenge, stopping Gabriel, meeting Emilie and being thrown into the water, it just felt so surreal. Usually dreams are supposed to be forgotten within the first moments of waking up, but what happened seemed almost burned into his mind.

"I see... what did she say to you?" Adrien asked, Louis took a breath before replying.

"We talked about how similar I was to you, Emilie thought I resembled you a lot," Louis continued, with his words ringing true in Adrien's ears, making his heart feel warm, "and how it was her fault that everything turned up like this. I almost agreed with her, because she was the reason why everything happened," Louis paused for a moment as he recalled what he said, and Adrien gestured his head slightly for him to continue, "I wanted... to blame her, it just seemed easier to assume so when I thought about why this all happened. Gabriel couldn't let it go... the past seemed so appealing that he drowned in it." Louis looked up into his father's eyes when he said that and Adrien understood.

"I see... I know you're mad Louis, and yes, my father did all of this for my mom, because he couldn't let go," Adrien started to say as Emma decided to cut in softly.

"Sorry Papa, but... I don't think that was necessarily the case. I don't think he did it for his wife as I think he just did it for himself. I think he was jealous of what you would be gaining if you completed the family, and it was his own bitterness that brought out his inner demons," Emma explained as Louis looked at her pensively before giving her a small smile. Even Adrien looked surprised at her words because her words seemed like a better interpretation of the motive behind his father's actions.

"Well said Emma, you've grown up to be a pretty wise girl," Adrien gently gazed down at her as she leaned into his body to snuggle a little. This was the kind of bond Adrien always wanted with his kids. The family ate in a comfortable silence after that, it wasn't until later that the door opened again to reveal Marinette holding a quadruple holder of drinks from the cafe she was just at.

"Hey guys, I brought you guys some drinks if you want them," Marinette said tiredly as Hugo and Emma immediately ran over to her to hug her.

"Hello Maman! Thank you so much! Did you get me my favorite?" Emma exclaimed, trying to pry open the plastic bag as Marinette held it gently out of her reach.

"Yes I did, yours is the strawberry coconut milk drink right?" Marinette asked, already knowing the answer. She continued to slowly lift the pink drink out of the bag as Emma squealed excitedly.

"Yes! Thank you Maman!" Emma quickly grabbed the drink and greedily started to drink it.

"Louis, yours is the green tea frappuccino right?" Marinette asked softly as she came over to the bed and handed the cold drink to Louis, who slowly raised his arm to grab it and settle it between his legs.

"Thanks Mom," Louis said quietly as Marinette smiled warmly at him and leaned in to peck a kiss on his cheek. Marinette then turned to Hugo who patiently waited for his drink.

"Hugo, here's your passion fruit tea," Marinette whispered as Hugo eagerly took his drink and sat beside her, leaning his head into her. The family continued to drink their beverages in silence, and it was often like this: there were just moments where no one knew what to say.

"Mari? You ok?" Adrien asked, leaning in to take a look at her troubled face, which continued to stare off in a reality of its own.

"No... but I'm just going to have to live with it," Marinette whispered, gripping her drink tighter as the pair heard the door click again and she looked up to find her other friends entering the room, "you guys..."

Alya, Nino, Chloé, Luka, and Kagami entered and they all gathered into somewhat of a circle around Louis' bed. Kagami eyed Adrien nervously as he caught her eye and nodded curtly before looking away.

"Hey Mari, we all came by to visit..." Alya started as Marinette eyes her suspiciously as she cut her off softly.

"Is that the only reason?" Marinette asked as Alya promptly shook her head.

"Audrey said that we needed to get the full story from you, she said we needed to know," Alya explained as Marinette leaned back slightly to let out a dismissive sigh of breath. Before she could say anything else, she heard Luka add to the speech.

"Marinette, I find it strange that despite being reunited with you for almost a year, we know almost nothing about you now. You haven't told us anything at all about what happened, and we deserve to know the truth," Luka added firmly as Marinette monotonously looked at Luka as if she had no comment to it. It took a few more moments for her to contemplate their cause and she felt a warm hand over hers. She looked up to find Adrien looking assuringly at her, and she never gets tired of his support.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" Adrien asked with Louis quickly adding on behind them.

"Mom, you don't have to do this for me if you don't want to get into it," Louis looked at his mom worryingly as Hugo and Emma took their places at his side and mirrored his look at her. Marinette chuckled softly as she reached over to grab his hand, grasping it firmly in hers.

"I'm not doing it just for you Louis my dear, I'm doing it for me," Marinette sighed heavily as she felt the weight of her past hit her in a new wave, "I've been marching towards this day for a long time, I've only been pushing the line when... my past would eventually catch up with me. So... now's the time, and this involves all of you," Marinette brushed her bangs out of the way and looked at all of them with an intense look that they've grown to know and fear.

"Take all the time you need," Nino nodded his head as the other agreed as well before Chloé decided to chime in.

"Actually, I kinda need to be somewhere soon, so I may not have all the time on the world," Chloé kinda interjected, but was immediately elbowed in the side by Alya, who threw a pointed look at her, "Never mind, never mind, take all the time you need Marinette."

Marinette took a deep breath before looking back through the mental book in her mind of all the things that led up to this point, "Well... to begin, you're all aware that I became pregnant with Louis almost 16 years ago?" Marinette asked as everyone nodded, "that night when I found out about my pregnancy, Gabriel confronted me in the bakery," Marinette continued as she felt Adrien tense beside her at the mention of Gabriel's confrontation, "and told me to abort Louis."

Everyone's eyes widened in shock as they all glanced at Louis, who kept his eyes down towards the bed sheets and his hands folded in his lap.

"And did you? I mean it's obvious you didn't, but what did you say?" Chloé inquired as Marinette slowly nodded and continued.

"I said that my body is my choice, and I knew that Adrien would help me in my time of need. I knew that... and yet," Marinette recalled, remembering the time where she thought she had Adrien to help her, the hope that she wasn't going to be alone, but all of that shattered, "he told me that if news got out that Adrien had a baby at that time, his career and reputation would be ruined. And he and I both knew that, and he was more than willing to bet that chance that I would immediately change my mind... which I did," Marinette continued to wring her hands slightly as she felt more sentences formulate in her mind, prompting her to continue to explain. The scrapping of chairs snapped her back to reality as she saw her friends grab chairs to sit down and listen to her more intently.

"And so... he forced me to go AWOL, and leave my life behind. He knew that I didn't want to risk Adrien's life by derailing it, so he proposed a plan where I cut off all contact with anyone in my former life and live a new life away from it all. Thus, the letters I wrote were the result of that," Marinette raised her leg to drape it over the other, putting her hands on her knee to get comfortable. She could tell that everyone was surprised by her words, and she could also tell that the pieces concerning her disappearance were starting to connect.

"That's when you wrote the letters... after you got blackmailed, and now that I think about it," Nino murmured as he suddenly started to realize what Marinette did, "you wrote hints within each of our letters that you were going to have a baby weren't you? Except for Lila's letter." Nino added on at the end as the others like in a chain reaction agreed with Nino.

"That's right! I remember she mentioned something about an existence that kept her apart from us," Chloé recalled as Marinette chuckled and sighed as if this wasn't really any news to her.

"You remember that I wrote that? 15 years and all of you still remember..." Marinette murmured as Adrien interjected softly.

"That day was burned into our minds, it was devastating when you disappeared, of course we would remember what you left behind," Adrien said softly, squeezing her hand softly as Marinette bowed her head slightly as she looked at the floor.

"I see... well, for the next 6 years after that, I raised Louis in secret and I was under constant watch by Gabriel's men, making certain that I don't break the contract or even come remotely in contact with any of you, ever. He made me sign a contract before I disappeared ensuring that I would never come back into your lives. And I followed his orders dutifully, for 15 years," Marinette explained as she could feel her friends' mouths just drop in horror.

"And what about when Hugo and Emma was born?" Kagami asked as Marinette looked as a matter of factly at her.

"I was getting to that," Marinette replied curtly, causing Kagami to shrink back without saying another word, "6 years after my disappearance, I became pregnant with the twins, and Hugo, Emma, I'm so sorry, I never meant for you two to find out this way. You two are still too young to properly grasp what happened, and I'm sorry," Marinette tried to wipe away the tears as she tried to speak through small sobs. She felt two pairs of arms warp around her own on either side, and she saw both her kids laying their heads against her arms.

"Maman... it's ok, we know you tried to protect us as long as you could," Hugo murmured, Emma on the other side nodding her head in agreement.

"Ok... so, Chloé, do you remember the day when you tried to get pregnant with Adrien's baby?" Marinette asked as Chloé slowly nodded and realized what she meant.

"Yes I do, it was kind of a low point for me," Chloé sighed sheepishly as the others looked at her in understanding.

"You never did get pregnant did you?" Marinette asked further as the question wasn't exactly for her to know but for Chloé to realize.

"No, the doctor told me that it didn't give? But... how do you know that? It's not as if I told you, how did you even know about that?" Chloé demanded as Marinette sighed, flexing her fingers on her knee before answering.

"I was there, the day you were supposed to get artificially inseminated, I was getting a pap smear but somehow, the records got messed up and I got inseminated in your place," Marinette explained, hearing an audible gasp from Chloé and looking up to see her mouth agape at her.

"You were there that day? So why didn't the doctor tell me she messed up?" Chloé continued as Marinette tucked an stand of hair behind her ear and cleared her voice again to speak, her family and friends hanging on to every word.

"I told her to lie to you about it, because she was on leave on that day, so one of the other doctors had to do it instead apparently, but when she found out, she panicked," Marinette explained, feeling the anger roll off of Chloé in waves, "I said it was easier just to say that the insemination didn't work because it was a believable lie. However, the entire thing is shrouded in mystery because I don't believe they found the doctor that made the mistake. He vanished into thin air or so they say," Marinette sighed as she finished telling her story. She looked back at Chloé to find a look of utter disbelief on her face, she couldn't really blame her though.

"So... we had the chance to meet again then, and you didn't care that time either?" Chloé whispered, her disdain and disappointment clear in her voice, Marinette opened her mouth to try to talk but she couldn't find any words, "Adrien told me that when you guys finally saw each other again after 15 years, you ran from him and caused a huge commotion at our old highschool for no particular reason. Then, my mom told me that you tried to escape Style Queen Magazine when you heard that Adrien, Alya, and Nino were visiting. You would have gotten away if it wasn't for the fact that my mom blew your cover. Both times, you didn't even want to see us again, so why are you trying so hard now to mend fences?"

"You don't understand Chloé," Marinette tried to say but she was cut off again by Chloé.

"You think I don't?! The Marinette I knew wouldn't have been so easily deterred by this injustice. It's absolutely ridiculous that you just sat idly by, taking what that man has done to you!" Chloé exclaimed as Marinette scoffed and spoke again.

"The Marinette you know is dead, and she has been for a long time. Chloé, I have seen things and been through things that are unspeakable, but I will speak. Chloé, I have been almost murdered three times! Do you understand that?!" Marinette countered back as she slammed her hands down on the bed and gripped it with a crushing force. After calming down after a moment, she repeated it again, the words heavy on her heart, "the Marinette you know is dead, and I'm sorry I'm not the bubbly, happy go lucky person I used to be."

It was silent only for a moment, everyone didn't know what to say, but they knew the woman sitting in front of them was not the Marinette they knew. That pig tailed goofy yet strong willed girl no longer stood where she did, yet but a shell remains.

"I-... I'm sorry..." Chloé whispered, Marinette eyeing her suspiciously, trying to find the reason for her outburst, but she thought nothing of it.

"It changes someone Chloé, I almost got murdered three times. The first time was when the twins were born," Marinette recalled, her mind bringing up the memories like nothing, like it no longer bothered her to remember, "Gabriel had trapped me, Louis, and the twins in the hospital room and tried to take the twins by force," Marinette continued as she fished for her phone in her purse and proceeded to look through her videos that she had saved, "the hospital had sent me the security footage from that night." She held her phone up so the others could see the whole scene play out. The audio was tense, sounding almost chilling as they could hear Marinette talking to Gabriel for a moment before hearing the yells that followed. They could see Louis tackling Gabriel from the bed and Louis' screams as he was slammed against the front of the bed. The screams of her and Louis combined never failed to make her cringe in fear, making her close her eyes because she could no longer bring herself to look. The cries of the twins could be heard throughout the whole video and finally they saw Louis grab the scalpel knife and stab Gabriel in his hand, sounding a horrible scream. Marinette looked up to see their faces and she could see was horror and utter shock.

"Oh my god..." Luka murmured breathlessly. Marinette could feel the waves of anger roll of Adrien as she knew he had been privy of this information for such a long time, and knowing this dehumanizing act of horror actually happened set him on fire to no end.

"Marinette... I'm sorry... you had to go through that," Kagami said silently, earning a nod of understanding from Marinette.

"Oh my god..." Nino was just almost speechless that something like this could happen to his friend. He felt Alya cling tightly to his sleeve, he could tell that she was afraid of what she just watched as well.

"I'm sorry Mari, you've been through a lot more than I have, and I shouldn't have snapped at you," Chloé sighed as she looked sympathetically at Marinette, who nodded in response and let out a small chuckle, "it was just easier to get mad at you or at least blame you for something, just like the good old days," Chloé laughed breathlessly, earning a smile from the other woman, who also let out a small laugh.

"Yeah, just like the good old days... but I'm afraid those days are gone Chloé," Marinette sighed, brushing a few strands of hair out of her way and they all sat there silently. The weight of her words falling heavy on their shoulders.

"Girl, you're sure you've told us everything? There's nothing left to say?" Alya asked, with the other woman nodding in response.

"The gist of what you all should know is that I was trapped for a very long time, with no way out. That's all, and now," Marinette said, not specifically looking at anything but a point in space. Her hands stayed curled up in her lap, anticipating something or bracing for a bad omen, "I'm beginning to see that light near the end of this nightmare. And I have you all to thank for it. Thank you for listening to my story, and believing in me." Marinette let out a small smile as she released her clenched hands and clapped them on her knees to relieve herself of her defensive position.

"Well, it's about time, now that we know, we're going to take back everything he stole from you," Nino declared, standing up to emphasize the statement, causing everyone to smile tiredly at him. Adrien nodded as he gently took a hold of Marinette's forearms, making her turn her attention to him. Within her vision, she could see their twins, their oldest son, and the love of her life all in one place, and she could never express how much she loved that they were all together.

"I promise Marinette... we'll take everything back," Adrien looked determinedly into her eyes, which glistened with tears, reflecting her very few surges of emotion. Adrien turned his attention to his children and brought them in closer, letting them snuggle into his sides. Hugo and Emma couldn't help but giggle and do exactly that, much to Louis' joy.

"I know you will... you may keep lousy track of your promises, but you always keep them in the end. So... I know we will," Marinette smiled and Adrien couldn't help but let up a cheeky grin as he brought her in and hugged her tight. Taking in her body, her scent, it always seemed familiar and their hugs were always the best. There are always these moments of peace and reprieve right before another storm comes, and Louis could see that storm coming even if no one seemed to care at the moment.

"This peace... won't last... until he's locked up for good," Louis murmured to himself before he felt himself zone out again, staring off into the pellucid distance like before.

Author's Note: Hey guys! THIS CHAPTER IS FINALLY DONE! I'm sorry it took such a long time but here it is. So I'm gonna focusing a little more on this story as Future Past may have to wait, however since this chapter is done, I will work on the next chapter for my other fanfic Future Past. I'm so passionate about the idea and made so many plot lines in my head about it could go. Anyway, the next few chapters in this story are pretty dramatic as it will become a crossover for a few chapters. I'm doing a crossover with Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney and Miraculous Ladybug! And so as a treat, I have written some paragraphs that are in the next couple of chapters below from different scenes (you'll know when it's a different scene) , enjoy and bear with me for the release of the next few chapters!

Marinette gripped her phone tightly as she stared at the phone screen. An article was showing on screen of a very familiar woman that she hadn't seen in 8 years, and she's finding out about this now. Why now of all times? Why didn't she find out sooner?

"Where did you find this?" Marinette asked lowly as she looked up at Alya, who just continued to stare in shock without giving any words, "how did I not know that Dr. Alver was dead all these years?!"

"Oh hello, you must be my new client?" Marinette heard a voice call out to her from the hallway and she turned to find a man decked out in a full navy blue suit, and spiked yet slicked back hair. She had to admit it was a weird combination, but it did suit him.

"Yes... and you are?" Marinette asked as a tall yet slender woman appeared from behind him and smiled wide at her. Her clothes was not what she was expecting to see at a courthouse, but she was in no position to judge.

"My name's Phoenix Wright, it's nice to meet you," Phoenix introduced himself as Marinette nodded cordially and shook his outstretched hand.

"But you can call him Nick!" The girl chimes in as Marinette noticed he immediately got annoyed and chided her. She found it kind of endearing though.

"Maya! How many times do I have to tell you that formalities are a must in these cases!"

"You're under oath boy, so let me ask you again, are you who you say you are? Because your name doesn't match the documents I have on file," The prosecutor asked tersely as Louis felt his hands become incredibly sweating and he felt like he was gonna slip off the stand at any moment because of the sweat. He glanced to his right to find the man, the demon looking at him as if he knew Louis' internal battles. Why does that man have the power to know so much? The guy doesn't even act like a grandfather and yet how does he know Louis' own personal thoughts to such a degree?

"I uhhh..." Louis trembled with his words as his eyes kept flickering towards Gabriel, who looked pointedly at him and slowly shook his head, telling Louis to not answer the question.

"Louis! It's ok! You can trust us! Under the law and in this courtroom, I will not let anything happen to you. You will come out innocent and you will walk away free!" Phoenix pleaded with Louis, who gripped the stand tightly until his knuckles turned white.

"Right... in the courtroom... but what about after? He'll kill us anyway!" Louis breathed out as he clenched his eyes in fear, his mind feeling like it's spiraling. However, sadly, there was nothing he could do for himself, not anymore.


	26. Chapter25:ASummonsToCourt

Author's Note: Hey guys! Snivylord here and I am so sorry that this update took so long. We're starting to get into the endgame, and this is only the beginning. It's been a few weeks since my last update but this story has now got over 1,000 reads on Wattpad!!!!!! I am so glad that you guys are enjoying the story because I love the way it's going. I hope you guys keep following my story on and continue to comment. ANYWAY! This chapter is the beginning of the Miraculous Ladybug X Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney crossover and I really hope that you guys enjoy it and stay tuned for the rest of the trial!

Chapter 25: A Summons to Court

The fight is not over, nor is it won. However, I never imagined things would have come to this. I didn't think I would standing here and now, facing volleys of judgmental eyes as our story comes to light before the public. It was all his fault... Gabriel's, it's because of him that I've had to testify for things that I would rather not remember. I felt like I was spiraling, every moment our situation seemed bleaker and he was going to win. I wondered to myself how much longer does this have to go on, because I was sick of it. My family was being oppressed right before my eyes and yet the only thing I could do was be afraid. It was because we were summoned... to court for something my mom didn't do. Regardless, what happened before that was a blur, as that fateful summons became a huge trial that changed what we knew about the truth forever.

A few days before the trial...

Marinette found herself in jail for something she didn't do. It was only a matter of time before she had to go on trial for her supposed crime but as she sat there in the cell by herself , she couldn't help but wonder what was going to happen to her kids. This happened about a month after Louis was discharged from the hospital, he continued physical therapy there after to get his physical form back on track and it was successful as he could walk normally again. He still felt tired a lot of time if he exerted his strength. Things were going back to normal, until Marinette got arrested that is.

"Marinette Dupain Cheng, you are under arrest for the murder of Dr. Alver, you have the right to remain silent as anything you say can and will be used against you," Marinette recalled as she remembered the harsh grip the police officer had when he twisted her arms behind her back to handcuff her. She remembered the yells of her family when they tried to stop the officers from taking her.

"What's going on?! What are you doing?" Marinette yelled as she tried to struggle against the bonds as she whipped her head around to try to force her hands out of the reach of the cuffs, but to no avail.

"You are under arrest for the murder of Dr. Alver," The police officer answered her as her brain immediately registered the name.

"Dr. Alver?" Marinette murmured to herself in shock as she was led out of her home. Louis felt his arms freeze as he heard the name as the rest of his family, including Adrien followed the officers out of their home.

"Dr. Alver... her gynecologist?" Louis murmured to himself before hurrying himself out of the house and following his family to his mom.

Marinette shivered and gripped her sides, contemplating about how much longer she has to be in here. She lifted her head from her knees slightly to be greeted with the same dismal fluorescent lighting she's known for about 2 days now. She had heard her trial was getting closer, but she didn't know when it was exactly. Suddenly, she heard the metal creak of a door open and a police officer came into view.

"Ms. Dupain Cheng, someone is here to see you," The police officer announced as he carefully opened the door for her and she nodded at him graciously.

"Thank you," Marinette replied curtly before being led out of the detention center and into the visitor's corridor. The building itself made her afraid because of the limited lighting and the dark walls, but she eventually became numb to the fear. The visitor's center had separate rooms for the prisoners and visitors that were divided by a plexiglass divider, that had a little holes that made it easier for the pair to hear. Marinette was led into one of the rooms and she had found Alya, Chloé, and Kagami waiting for her.

"You guys... to what I owe this pleasure of seeing all three of you?" Marinette sighed a breath of relief as she sat down. She noted how all of them smiled sympathetically at her as Alya started.

"How are you feeling girl? Are they treating you ok in there?" Alya asked as she folded her hands and straightened her posture as to be polite. Marinette sighed and lowered her head slightly, contemplating the question for a moment.

"I suppose I'm alright, how's progress doing on the trial?" Marinette asked, leaning forward as Alya whipped out her notes from what she has researched, the other two leaning in to get a better look.

"So, Dr. Alver was murdered about 8 years ago, and it was on the day of the accidental insemination," Alya flipped her phone and showed it to Marinette, who read the article in shock.

Marinette gripped the table counter tightly as she stared at the phone screen. An article was showing on screen of a very familiar woman that she hadn't seen in 8 years, and she's finding out about this now. Why now of all times? Why didn't she find out sooner?

"Where did you find this?" Marinette asked lowly as she looked up at Alya, who just continued to stare in shock without giving any words, "how did I not know that Dr. Alver was dead all these years?!"

"It was kept hidden, as a certain someone swept it under the rug. She was found on the outer banks of the Seine," Alya continued to read through the article, "the police at the time determined that the cause of death was most likely suffocation from drowning," Alya looked up again with a serious look in her eye that Marinette couldn't decipher.

"I'm guessing this certain someone was Gabriel?" Marinette sighed as Alya nodded in reply causing Marinette to clap her hands together to avoid bursting out in anger.

"Why is it him everytime?!" Marinette exclaimed through her fingers as Chloé spoke up suddenly.

"I feel like he kept this under the rug until the time he needed to use the incident to his advantage. To bury you once and for all," Chloé surmised, making Marinette breath out an even bigger sigh, "Adrien's going around the city right now to try to find a defense attorney for you, but the cowards won't even take your case," Chloé huffed, clearly annoyed as Marinette's eyes fell at her words. That emptiness and hopelessness that she felt before ran even more rampant than ever.

"Really?" Marinette whispered, crestfallen, "why so?"

Chloé flipped her hair slightly as she started to explain, "Apparently, Adrikins said that the lawyers that he spoke to said that your case seems so convoluted and compromising that it's almost a guarantee that you're guilty of the charges," Marinette felt her jaw open slightly in shock as she took another deep breath in to calm herself back down.

"I see... so it's hopeless?" Marinette asked, her question ending on a note of finality before Kagami interjected.

"Don't give up hope Marinette, there's always a chance someone will represent you. You just have to hold out hope for that," Kagami reassured Marinette, who didn't feel all that better to be honest, however, she just prayed that Adrien could find someone in time.

Meanwhile, Adrien and Louis were just finished with another round of lawyer searching when they finally took time to rest at the plaza at L'Arc De Triomphe. Louis slumped back into a seat defeatedly as Adrien carefully sat beside him. Louis looked over at the book his dad was holding to find him crossing out another firm name.

"Another lawyer firm, crossed off," Adrien sighed as Louis sighed with him and laid his head in the crook of his dad's shoulder.

"What are we going to do? Mom's trial is in two days and we have nothing to show for it because every lawyer in this city is a biased douchebag!" Louis mumbled angrily as Adrien let out a tired chuckle and stuck his hand out to pat Louis' knee.

"It's going to be okay Louis, we're going to find a way to get through this," Adrien looked down at Louis, who was just staring ahead at the street, watching the cars and vespas go by, "together."

Fortunately for them, fate had a funny way of stringing favorable incidents and miracles together. Their savior by the name of Phoenix Wright was visiting France for a European trip with his friends after being invited by his fellow lawyer and prosecutor Franziska Von Karma. He was currently touring Paris with his friends, although coincidently not that far from L'Arc De Triomphe. People observing them would of that they made a weird group of people: a man wearing a full navy blue three piece suit, two girls wearing kimonos for what people would assume to be harajuku cosplay, a detective, a woman wearing a bright yellow three piece suit that talks to her weird necklace for some reason, and another woman who has a whip. Needless to say, they were a weird group.

"Hey Nick! What are you looking at?" The older of the kimono girls asked, she wore part of her hair in a petit bun while letting the rest of her hair flow out over the back. Phoenix or "Nick" was busy looking at his phone as he looked at the news . The younger of the kimono girls, Pearl, looked over on the other side.

"Maya, look at this," Phoenix motioned the older kimono girl to look, "there's a major trial happening here in 2 days and it's all over the French news," Phoenix moved his phone so Maya could get a closer look. There were multiple online articles about the scandal between Gabriel Agreste, Marinette Dupain Cheng, and Adrien Agreste. The title read "Trial Awaits for The Murder of Dr. Alver!"

"It seems like a pretty big trial," Maya mumbled as they continued to read through the article. While they were reading, Franziska decided to fill them in with a little more context.

"The foolish trial has foolish fools who base the foolish charges against the poor girl who was indicted. She goes by the name of Marinette Dupain Cheng, she's a pretty big fashion designer that works under Style Queen Magazine. It's quite unfortunate what happened," Franziska explained as Phoenix nodded and the group continued down the street.

"She was accused of murder of her doctor during an artificial insemination. That entire situation sounds fishy..." Phoenix murmured to himself as Athena, the spirited girl in the yellow suit outfit, Maya, and Pearl looked at him worryingly.

"Surely you're not thinking of investigating this trial are you? We're in France to get a break buddy," Dick Gumshoe the detective exclaimed in disbelief as he recognised the determined look on Phoenix's face.

"Gumshoe, you should know by now that this is what the boss does, save lives by taking random cases with the most complicated murder plots. It's all part of the job," Athena joked with Phoenix shooting her a look and sighing as the group walked across the street towards the plaza.

"I wish I could help, but it sure would give me something interesting to do," Phoenix sighed, immediately feeling two smacks on both his arms as everyone was shooting him a glare, "what was that for?!"

"You're lucky I don't feel like using my whip, the whole reason we came on this trip was because we'd have some vacation time to have some down time so save your foolish ideas for later!" Franziska clicked her tongue and continued to walk towards L'Arc De Triomphe, and that's when Athena noticed a familiar blond head of hair who was comforting a boy who was presumably his son. However when she realized who it was, a whole wave of shock hit her.

"Oh my god... THAT'S ADRIEN AGRESTE!!!!" Athena squealed loudly causing the aforementioned person to look up at the sound, or more precisely his name, and saw Athena literally speeding towards them.

"Oh hello, I'm assuming you're a fan of mine? Judging by how loud that squeal was?" Adrien asked tiredly as the group eventually came to a stop in front of the pair. Athena scoffed jokingly as she rubbed her arms in embarrassment.

"Yes, when I was studying in Europe, your modeling work on fashion was a huge inspiration and I absolutely lived for your work. I absolutely that one chiffon collection that was based on exotic birds, that was AMAZING," Athena emphasised as Adrien smiled knowing that he such an avid fan.

"Yes, that was one of my father's finer works," Adrien spoke through gritted teeth as he tried not to show his disgust towards any topic concerning his father, "that photo shoot did come out pretty well I have to say." Phoenix immediately noticed this slight change in behaviour as he continued to look in sympathetically.

"So you're Adrien Agreste? It's a pleasure to meet you," Phoenix held out his hand kindly, which Adrien took and they shook hands warmly, "you're all over the French news right now, so what I wanted to ask is: are you feeling alright?"

Adrien and Louis' eyes widened slightly in surprise as they scanned over the entire group.

"I suppose I'm feeling alright. Why do you want to know?" Adrien asked questionably as the others took their places in the other chairs so they could talk in a circle.

"Do you mind if we sit pal?" Gumshoe asked as Adrien nodded and motioned his hand to a seat.

"Not at all, no please sit," Adrien insisted warmly as the others smiled at him and they all sat down in a meeting, "so first of all, why do you want to know about what's going on? I hope you can forgive me, but it is pretty personal."

"Yeah, we completely understand, we just want to know because as a lawyer, I find this situation when I read through it to be quite strange, especially when this case becomes a trial," Phoenix noted as Adrien's eyes widened for a second before clearing his throat.

"You're a lawyer then?" Adrien asked as Phoenix lifted up his attorney's badge that was attached to his suit, "I see..."

"Nick, are we really doing this?" Maya asked knowingly as Phoenix nodded and turned back towards Adrien with a knowing grin.

"Wait what's going on?" Louis asked, finally speaking as he looked between Phoenix, Maya, Athena, and the others.

"Adrien, do you happen to have a lawyer?" Phoenix asked as Adrien continued to stare at Phoenix, partially thinking this is some kind of joke.

"No, my son and I were out looking for a defense attorney today, Monsieur Phoenix, is that your name?" Adrien asked as Phoenix nodded, "what exactly is it that you're suggesting?"

"I'm asking if you'll take us as your defense attorneys for your case," Phoenix replied confidently, making Adrien and Louis' eyes even larger than before. They honestly could not believe that after a full day of searching for a lawyer, one just comes up and volunteers himself.

"Are you serious?" Adrien asked incredulously, earning a quick and confident response from Phoenix.

"Of course, you're exactly the kind of people I strive to help," Phoenix held out his hand for Adrien to shake, "we're going to get you out of this." Adrien nodded appreciatively as he took Phoenix's hand and shook it graciously.

"Thank you so much, truly," Adrien let his shoulders relax from the tension and the whole group smiled at each other, as a new case, and a new adventure was beginning. However, Louis still felt worried about it.

"Really? Just like that?" Louis murmured, keeping a calculating stare in Phoenix. Phoenix has seen a lot of things in his life, but that stare of being judged by someone never failed to give him anxiety, "you're just gonna waltz up to someone you don't even know? And offer them legal help?" Louis asked, earning confused looks from the others.

"Don't worry, Nick is usually like this, he always helps someone in need," Maya waves off Phoenix's grand gesture like it was nothing and eyed Louis closely, as if she was gauging him. Louis couldn't help but feel an aura of spiritual pressure bear down on him. It was a presence he had never felt before, "I know that believing in miracles seem childish, and frankly a little too good to believe despite the things you've gone through. But trust me when I say that Nick will get you out of this. And the rest of us has got your back, ok?" Maya explained sympathetically as Louis nodded mutely and continued to let his dad explain the situation to them. He somehow felt that their involvement was just going to make this trial blow up in everyone's faces, he just knows it.

Sometime later, Louis, Adrien, Phoenix, and Maya went to go visit Marinette back at the detention center. The rest of the group waiting for them in the lobby as Phoenix wanted to sort out a few loose odds and ends with the story. Marinette thought it was strange that she would be called twice to the visitor's room in one day, but maybe it was Kagami's words after all that made her remember to always have hope. When she sat down in the seat, hearing the security guard guard the door behind hear, she noticed three people: Louis on the left, Adrien on the right, and a man she doesn't recognize in the middle. Given that he's wearing a full navy blue suit with a gold badge on the collar, she could only assume that they finally found a lawyer.

"Adrien, Louis! I trust your search went well?" Marinette asked tiredly as she folded her hands in her lap again and looked graciously at the both of them. She then turned to Phoenix and gave a small smile which Phoenix reciprocated.

"So you are Miss Dupain Cheng? It's nice to meet you," Phoenix smiled warmly as Maya waves enthusiastically from behind them. Marinette nodded back and looks from Phoenix to Maya and then back at Phoenix.

"Likewise, thank you for taking your time and going out of your way to meet with me, but before we get down to business, just allow me a moment," Marinette smiled graciously before looking at Louis, who had an empty and sullen look in his face, "Louis sweetie... are you ok?"

It took a moment for Louis to answer, he just looked down at nothing, but he raised his head slightly to look at her, "You don't deserve to be behind there..." Louis murmured, his mom barely catching the sentence. She sighed and reached her hand to the glass, as if she was trying to comfort him through the glass.

"Louis... I'm sorry... but you should know by now that life isn't fair... but we must live on and continue to fight," Marinette kept her gaze gentle on her son, who she knew was having a hard time coping with the fact that his mom is in custody.

"How long... is God going to punish you for that one mistake 15 years ago?" Louis asked and everyone could hear the desperation and brokenness in his voice, "How long... is God going to make your suffer for my existence?" Louis clenched his fists together and he heard a firm voice cut clear through the glass.

"Louis, look at me," Marinette said firmly, Louis' head snapping up to meet hers, "it's not your fault, I want you to understand that. I know it's unfair and cruel... but you should keep smiling and look forward to what kind of future you're going to have. I want that for all three of you, but you have to trust that we'll get through this," Marinette wiped away the tears from her eyes and continued to look at her son straight in the eyes, her words ringing true in her mind, "you're a gift Louis, the greatest gift God has ever given me... so please don't say things like that again... for me?" Marinette asked as Louis nodded and wiped away the tears from his eyes. He just needed a reminder that he wasn't a sin that derailed his mom's life, he was a gift.

"Ok Mom... I know... your trial's tomorrow and we're all going to face that man... together..." Louis nodded, looking over at Phoenix, Adrien, and Maya who nodded their heads in agreement.

"Alright Miss Dupain Cheng, I already filled in the official request to be your defense attorney. However what I need you to tell me is what you were doing the day of the insemination. Because the court record for this case shows that Dr. Alver was murdered during the insemination, and you were the last person seen with her," Phoenix laced his fingers together and looked seriously as Marinette, who sighed and brushed some hair out of the way as she started to explain.

"To be honest, that day was kind of a big blank..." Marinette twiddled her thumbs slightly as she was a bit afraid of their reactions, but the only indication she got from Mr Wright that he was surprised was the widening of his eyes, "that morning, I was supposed to getting a pap smear, and I came with Louis. However, something happened when I went into the hospital room..." Marinette trailed off as Phoenix signaled her to keep going.

"And?" Phoenix continued, as Marinette tapped her finger on her chin as she tried to remember.

"I kinda fell asleep right before it started, or at least I think I did," Marinette murmured, however it was more towards herself as she was trying to figure out those events for herself as well.

"You fell asleep? Was it naturally, or was there something off about how you fell asleep?" Phoenix asked, earning a confused look from Adrien.

"How? Isn't it normal to fall asleep in the morning like that?" Adrien wondered aloud as Marinette corrected him there.

"No, I remember I had coffee that morning, so there was no way I could have fallen asleep voluntarily. Is that what you're getting at Mr. Wright?" Marinette turned her attention back towards Phoenix, who nodded and rested his head on his laced fingers.

"Exactly, it may be a sore spot in your testimony, but there may be something that happened when you were asleep..." Phoenix trailed off, but he continued his line of questioning, "did you notice anything odd when you woke up?" Marinette leaned her head back slightly to think about what happened that day, but other than her falling asleep, she didn't find anything odd about her visit.

"Maybe my doctor wasn't who I thought it was? Because the people that were in my room said that Dr. Alver was on leave and they would take over the operation instead..." Marinette recalled as she remembered the two people that did the operation. To be frank, she didn't remember their faces since they were covered by surgical masks and identical hospital uniforms. She noticed Phoenix staring at her for a bit before he huffed out a breath and leaned back, crossing his arms and for everyone else, it looked like he was in deep thought.

"This may be a possibility, but Dr. Alver may have already been murdered at that time," Phoenix surmised, causing the others to gasp at his theory. Phoenix then broke out of his thinking reverie and smiled at Marinette, "Not to worry Miss Dupain Cheng, this case may be a lot more complicated than the news let on, but my team and I will figure this out," Phoenix continued to smile warmly at Marinette, who reciprocated his gesture. Phoenix then looked from side to side at Adrien and Louis to reassure thank them, "thank you Mister Agreste and Louis for taking your time to set up this appointment with the defendant."

Adrien smiled warmly back at him, while Louis just flashed him a momentary smile before looking back at his mom, "Thank you so much for taking our case."

"Definitely not a problem, all of you are in good hands," Maya answered for Phoenix and she smiled sympathetically at Marinette and the others. Phoenix nodded at her answer and the two of them left the room, leaving a quiet sound of the door behind them. As Maya and Phoenix were walking down the hall, Maya couldn't help but ask.

"Do you think she did it?" Maya wondered aloud as Phoenix let out a sigh of contemplation as he furrowed his eyebrows in thought.

"No, I don't think she was actually responsible, we just need to prove that she fell asleep during the operation so she has an alibi, but..." Phoenix explained with Maya nodding at his proposal, "she does remind of Adrian Andrews..."

"You mean that blond girl who you almost got wrongly convicted in that one case where I got kidnapped by that assassin?" Maya asked casually as Phoenix looked at her incredulously and nodded.

"Yes her... Miss Dupain Cheng reminds me of her because she seems to have a lot riding on this trial, and she seems almost detached and apathetic towards how this trial is gonna go. Like she's given up before it's even started," Phoenix noted as Maya looked back towards Marinette's visiting room and sighed.

"Now that you mention it... perhaps..." Maya said questioningly as the two made it back out into the lobby in order to relay the rest of their conversation to their friends.

"We just need to look at the court record and the autopsy report again," Phoenix looked over at Maya, expecting a reply, and she nodded back in response and made a sound of agreement. Back in the visitor's room, Adrien and Louis were still talking about the trial tomorrow. Adrien had his arm around Louis, pulling him closer to Adrien in an attempt to comfort him in his breakdown earlier. Adrien knew that his son was going through a lot, because none of them expected it to escalate to this point, but they just have to find a way through.

"Louis, how are you holding up?" Adrien asked with Louis smiling and leaning into his dad's shoulder.

"Better, maybe," Louis responded, his heart really meaning it this time. Being in his father's presence always made him feel better, his warmth just gave him a sense of home that made his heart feel complete.

"I'm glad... It's been really tough for all of you, and I'm sorry I'm just making things more difficult," Marinette smiled sadly, wiping away a stray tear from her eye. Adrien and Louis smiled sadly at her and pressed their hand against the glass in an act of reassurance.

"Mari look at me," Adrien said softly, and Marinette brought herself to meet his earnest emerald eyes. They always managed to captivate her and there was so much honesty and determination in those eyes that she really believed that everything was going to be okay. And to think, this man is the love of her life, and she knows that he loves her so much, that he would do anything in his power save her, "we're going to get out of this together: you, me, Louis, Hugo, and Emma, we're going to put Gabriel in his place and finally free all of you from those chains, that I promise."

"I know... Adrien... because I don't know what I'm gonna do if this trial doesn't finish things once and for all," Marinette smiled with a bittersweet nuance behind her words. Adrien sighed and she continued, "I love you two so much... and I want you to be a part of what we have: a family." Marinette continued to smile as Adrien let those words ring in his ears, because he knew that they rang true. Suddenly, the officer said the visiting hours were over and guided her out of the room with the family exchanging a heartfelt farewell and she went back into her cell awaiting the trial. As for the two Agreste men, they went back home to Marinette's place to find the gang and Hugo and Emma waiting for them.

"You guys are back! Please tell me that you found a lawyer for them," Chloe rose from her chair to greet them at the doorway. Adrien nodded as Louis came in and sat on the couch with his siblings, exhausted.

"We did... and the real battle is only beginning tomorrow. We're part of the jury tomorrow, so we won't be able to accompany Marinette to the courthouse, but we have to see this through to the end," Adrien explained seriously as Chloe nodded and snapped around so she could get responses from the others, who nodded in agreement.

"Good, because that son of a bitch is gonna be taken down in this trial once and for all! For Marinette!" Alya yelled, pumping her fist into the air as Louis literally scrambled to plug his siblings' ears and stuff their heads playfully into the couch so they couldn't hear. He could hear them giggling maniacally as they tried to free themselves from Louis' grip.

"AUNTIE ALYA!" Louis reprimanded the woman in question, who smiled sheepishly at his scolding. Adrien couldn't help but look jokingly angry at Alya before laughing with everyone else. Louis let go of his siblings and yelped when his brother jumped on his back and hugged him around his neck while his sister snuggled into his torso.

Adrien looked at his kids in a kind but solemn gaze, it was sort of a like a reminiscent gaze as he promised them silently to himself.

Don't worry Louis... Hugo... Emma... my dear and wonderful kids... it'll be over soon, and no matter how it ends... we're going to see it through together.

That next morning, Marinette arrived at the courthouse while she was escorted by police officers that formed a shell around her. There was paparazzi and reporters all around as she tried to get into the courthouse and when she finally got in, it was like the cacophony of shouting and questioning just stopped and all she could hear was the clacking of the boots of the soldiers and her own footsteps. The silence was so nerve-wracking as she walked up the the courtroom doors and she could hear the faint sound of the court room's chattering and preparation for the commencement. The soldiers then dispersed and gave her some space as Marinette heard some other footsteps and she looked down the hallway on her right to find Phoenix Wright, Maya, and another lawyer in a yellow three piece suit that she's never met before.

"Good morning Miss Dupain Cheng, my other subordinate with me today is Athena Cykes, she's a lawyer that specializes in psychology," Phoenix explained as Marinette looked over at the woman in question, who grinned at her and flashed her a peace sign, which Marinette couldn't tell was professional conduct or not.

"It's a great pleasure to meet you Miss Dupain Cheng! Don't fear! The boss, Maya, and I's got this!" Athena reassured Marinette, who nodded in response.

"Likewise... alright," Marinette turned her attention towards the door, along with Phoenix and the others.

"It's time..." Phoenix murmured as the group entered the courtroom, the light blinding them momentarily as the officers followed behind them and guarded the door. The courtroom consisted of the judge's seat at the other side of the room and wooden bleachers on both sides of the room where the jury can seat. On the near side of the room was the defendant's chair and accusing party's chair where Marinette and Gabriel will sit. At the base of each bleacher was the counters for the prosecution and defense. It was essentially like an Ace Attorney courtroom. Marinette looked towards the bleachers and found her entire family and her friends watching her. Adrien, Louis, Hugo, and Emma looked at her worryingly as she flashed them a small smile before heading to her designated seat. One thing she did notice however was that besides the judge's podium seat, there was a bunch of music stands, instruments, and speakers as if there's an orchestra that plays there.

"Why would you need an orchestra.. for a trial?" Everyone thought at the same time, but Marinette noticed that Phoenix, Maya, and Athena didn't look surprised, like having an orchestra was normal for them. Soon, the judge, an old bald man with a voluminous beard filled his seat and the orchestra took their places and started to play with a crescendo of strings. It was at this moment that she noticed Gabriel sitting beside her in the opposite seat and they shared sharp cold glances for a moment before looking at towards the judge. To be honest, Marinette thought this music just made everything seem more dramatic in her opinion, but it did make things more interesting.

A/N: Alright guys! Here, you can Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney Dual Destinies OST for "Trial Begins" if you want to make the reading experience more epic.

"Alright! Trial is session for the Miss Dupain Cheng on the charge of the murder of Dr. Alver 8 years ago!" The judge's voice boomed out over the courtroom, making everyone silent. Suddenly, Gabriel called out after the judge rang down his gavel.

"Your honor.. you're forgetting one more charge, it just arrived this morning," Gabriel said solemnly, but Marinette could tell it was laced with malice. All of a sudden, she felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. Phoenix looked suspiciously at the man in question as the judge raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Another charge?" Phoenix murmured as Maya and Athena looked over at Marinette worryingly.

"Yes, it should be in the files," The prosecutor said, making Marinette cringe at his voice. It was a high nasally like voice that just reeked with arrogance.

"Yes Mr. Payne, I see it," The judge read over the files again and found what Gabriel meant, but he couldn't believe what he was reading, after another moment, he read it aloud, "The prosecution has indicted Louis Agreste on the charge of grand theft of Adrien Agreste's sperm sample on the day of Dr. Alver's murder." This announcement caused Marinette to actually scream out loud as the wave of shock and anger hit her so hard it was almost made her see red.

"WHAT!? WHAT KIND OF RIDICULOUS CHARGE IS THAT?!" Marinette yelled out as she looked at the bleachers to find Louis' increasingly horrified face as everyone in the gallery looked at him shock. Even Phoenix looked up at the boy with shock, but then he looked at Gabriel and grit his teeth, as this trial just got a whole lot more blown out of proportion. The police came from the entrance to the jury's bleachers and came to Louis' row and roughly grabbed Louis by the shoulders and started to drag him out. The rest of the family fought to keep him back his seat, but the uproar just made everything so chaotic. Marinette whipped her head towards Gabriel to find him giving her an malicious smirk.

"PAPA! MAMAN! HELP ME!" Louis tried to wring himself out of their grip, but there was too many of them. He had never felt so panicked in his life

"LOUIS! NO! HOW!?" Adrien yelled as the officers dragged Louis out of the reach of his family and looked at everyone else. Hugo, Emma, Alya, Nino, Chloe, Luka, and Kagami just had shocked looks on their faces, but it quickly turned into looks of pure anger as they looked back at Gabriel, who seemed as if he planned this all along. The other people from their old high school days were part of the gallery too and the other children like Gavin and Elena were also watching from the gallery as well since all of them were also part of the jury. Soon, Marinette could see the officers dragging Louis to the defendant's seat and she got up so she could yank him from their grasp and hugged him tight.

"Louis, Louis, it's going to be ok..." Marinette cried as she stroked his hair and snuggled into the crook of his neck as he did the same and wrapped his arms tightly around her. Phoenix felt so bad for them as he's starting to get an idea of what their situation looks like.

"Maman... please tell me it's going to be ok..." Louis whimpered as he closed his eyes tight and wished that he hadn't heard what the judge said because now... he was getting charged for something that he didn't do as well. The battle is not won after all as it is only beginning. The trial would change everyone's lives forever, because the past has now been reopened for the world to see.


	27. Chapter26:APhoenixRises

Authors Note: Hey guys SnivyLord here! This is gonna be a bit of a shorter chapter as it shines a little light of what happened the day before the trial. It's a bit emotional between Adrien and Louis for their father son moment, so I hope you enjoy! I also wrote down a bit of the present day into the trial, but it's kind of a light hearted beginning for laughs, so enjoy that while it lasts because in the next few chapters, it's gonna get pretty dark and heavy. Also, I realized I completed this on April Fool's day and this is a published chapter I swear, but it might also be a joke because I think you guys were expecting the actual nitty gritty trial chapter. So sorry! But with the world a disaster right now and me having a lot of free time, I will try to get those chapters out soon, so please hang on for the ride! Stay safe! Stay home and enjoy yourself by catching up on this story and read any previous chapters if you want in quarantine!

Chapter 26 : A Phoenix Rises (Crossover Chapter! Ace Attorney X ML)

The day before the trial, Phoenix and the gang had been looking over the court record for the trial and the list of the evidence that they got that was going to be used for the trial. They all met in the Bourgeois Hotel in one of the suites and they got down to business.

"This seems like quite the long list of evidence right boss?" Athena thought aloud when she glanced over Phoenix's shoulder.

"Right... it seems almost too long," Phoenix murmured to himself as he read through the paper several more times. There were video recordings, certain papers, the autopsy report, the surveillance cameras in Marinette's home, witness testimonies from people Phoenix didn't know, several objects that the prosecution has not named, and other things listed, but some of the items seemed like circumstantial evidence.

"I think the prosecution is planning to use these specific pieces of evidence to trap Marinette when they question her, using these circumstantial evidence to implicate her," Maya surmised, resting her head on her hand. Phoenix nodded slowly before his mind made up another theory.

"Maybe... perhaps this evidence isn't just meant for Marinette...but perhaps, there also meant for trapping somebody else," Phoenix murmured to himself but everyone heard what he said.

"But that's... awful..." Pearl sighed, almost on the verge of crying, but not quite.

"Too bad we can't investigate ourselves, since this is a case from 8 years ago and there's no trail or left over evidence," Maya sighed, resting her tired head on her palm. Phoenix nodded in agreement as he leaned back in his chair and stared outside the balcony.

"What did we get ourselves into? This trial seems like such a deeply rooted personal issue between Gabriel Agreste and Miss Dupain Cheng," Phoenix sighed, suddenly hearing a scoff come from his partner.

"You were the one that wanted to get into this," Maya laughed, an understanding but slightly mocking nuance graced her tone, "you've been in very tragic and personal cases before, and each one is unique. But you're gonna have to see this through to the end, even when the truth rears its ugly head," Maya explained and after a moment, Phoenix nodded in understanding.

"Yeah... I know, it's just that... I can never get used to this. These stories that seem to tear families apart," Phoenix sighed, with the other two nodding in agreement. They know what he means, each story always seems to surprise them even when the truth makes itself known to everybody

"I do feel bad though... the poor lady, her family must be going through so much, seeing their mom behind bars," Pearl sniffled as she wiped a tear away from her eyes. Maya nodded and rubbed Pearl's shoulders comfortingly in an attempt to massage them. Phoenix has seen his fair share of cases throughout the years that left scars on people and to be honest, sometimes Phoenix doesn't know if finding out the whole truth is even worth it. However, looking at this divided family, Phoenix knew that he had to something and he would do what he always did: find out the truth. Phoenix sighed as he set the list down again and looked outside the window and into the night, pondering what was to come.

Meanwhile, the night went on and neither Phoenix nor Louis could find any comfort in sleep. Louis laid awake in his bed, constantly tossing and turning in bed because he couldn't help but wonder how his mom was. He turned again so he could face his window and the beautiful moon that illuminated his room. He made note of every shadow that the moon made, taking in the sight and immortalizing it in his memory. He's had a lot of these reflective moments, thinking about everything that's happened in the past year: He finally met his dad, He got mad at his dad for the first time, he met Gabriel again for the first time in years, he bonded with his dad, he played piano for his dad, he played piano WITH his dad, and he almost died... twice. It was almost as if he was accomplishing all of the firsts he should have had with his dad in childhood... well except for the almost dying part. Even though it felt like that, he couldn't help but be reminded that it wasn't the same and that killed him inside. Staring outside the window at the moon again, he wondered if his mom could see the same thing, the moon watching over her in her time of need. As Louis continued continued to stare outside the window thinking about his mom, tears pricked at the edges of his eyes as he got emotional once again.

"Goddamn it... Mom... please tell me you're alright..." Louis whispered. It almost sounded like he was begging as he let the tears run down the width of his head to the pillow, "do you see it? The moon?" Louis asked silently into the darkness, he wasn't really expecting an answer back because Marinette was in police custody, but he felt like he could talk to his mom over any distance, "Mom... please say something... anything..." Louis pleaded into the room, but no one answered him. Suddenly, he heard the doorknob turn and the door open. Quickly wiping away his tears, he turned his head back to find Adrien checking in on him, a concerned, warm smile on his face.

"Hey buddy, you alright?" Adrien whispered as he approached the bed and sat gently on it as if he was gonna break it. Louis turned his body around and held himself up on one arm so he could properly look at his dad.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Louis answered contently, resting his head on his hand, "what are you doing here?" Adrien let out a sigh for a moment before answering. It goes without saying that he had been staying over at Marinette's house to stay with his kids and frankly, everyone was happy he did.

"I was checking up on your siblings, your sister had a nightmare and I was helping her get back to sleep," Adrien explained as Louis sighed a breath of relief and the two shared a moment of silence before Adrien spoke up again, "So... are you really fine?" Louis scrunched his nose slightly at the question and looked up into his dad's questioning eyes. His eyes were a beautiful bright emerald that you couldn't help get lost into and confess your feelings to.

"Jeez... no wonder Mom had such a hard time with him..." Louis scoffed to himself, tearing his eyes away for a moment to not let his thoughts be known, but Adrien could surely read it in his face, "Yeah, Dad, I'm fine, I've just been reflecting on things."

Adrien raised an eyebrow questioningly at his response as he scrutinized his son's expression a little further, "Reflecting? Come on Louis, I can see the tear streaks on your cheeks and your voice is hardly what I call convincing," Adrien remarked as a joke but Louis could tell he was serious. He looked into his father's eyes again with a hesitant shade of cloudiness in his eyes.

"Am I really that transparent?" Louis asked finally as he gave Adrien a small smirk and hauled himself up so he could lean the upper half of his body against the headboard.

"Your mom always said you were highly emotional so you're almost practically an open book," Adrien scooted in a little further with Louis giving him the room so he could sit back against the headboard in the same position.

"I guess so..." Louis sighed as he continued, "I've been thinking about how much me and my siblings have gone through this past year and I can't help but feel sad..." Louis' voice broke a little as he let out a shaky breath, "because I met you... finally... but it's too late..." Louis choked back a sob as he could feel Adrien's intense gaze on him, but he didn't dare turn his head, "you... never got to experience my childhood or any of my firsts that were supposed to be ours and I feel so bitter that my mom has to go through this alone. Not just being in custody right now but raising me and my siblings by herself." Louis sniffled as he knew his dad was just listening to him without saying anything, not that he expected him to say anything, "I'm about to be 15 soon... and I just realized that you never got to hold any of us in your arms as you weren't there in the beginning... and we all grew up..." Louis stopped talking for a moment to moisten his throat and lips because they were starting to get dry. Finally, he looked over at his dad to see the softest and most affectionate eyes he had ever come across. He could see they were brimming with tears as he knew that there had to be something that was bothering his dad as well.

"How could you stand it?" Louis asked tearfully, closing his eyes hard and letting the tears fall out. He then took a sharp intake of breath and opened his eyes again to his dad's hand tenderly rubbing his shoulder.

"Come here..." Adrien asked softly as he used his other arm to wrap around Louis' shoulders and bring him in to hug his son. Louis relished in the warmth of his dad until he heard a few sniffles and small sobs that escaped his dad's lips, "I could never forgive myself... for missing all of your firsts.." Adrien spoke shakily but Louis understood and continued to nuzzle himself into his dad's shoulder, "your first word... your first steps... your first time in school... meeting your siblings for the first time... those will always be the biggest regrets of my life but the fact I've managed to meet my son now," Adrien emphasized the last part as he hugged Louis a little tighter at those words, "who's a remarkable young man in his own right, who fights for the light that he shares with the people he loves, how could I feel anything but gratitude?" Adrien pulled away to look into his son's eyes that were shining bright with the words he took to heart.

"Dad..." Louis started to say but he couldn't think of anything to add, but Adrien could.

"So don't be sad that I'm late, because all I think about when it comes to you three is that I'm the luckiest father in the world that I have three beautiful, great kids who make the world better around them every day, and I have your mom to thank for that," Adrien reassured Louis as he wiped his tears away and almost tackled Adrien into a hug again, his doubts completely gone knowing that his dad was right beside him and his dream had finally come true. They haven't known each other for very long, but the things they have gone through together makes their bond as strong as it would have been if Adrien had been there from the beginning. Now the family was complete and ready to take on the final obstacle with everyone rising to the occasion.

A few hours later...

"Oh... God no..." Adrien stared helplessly at his son who was down at the witness stand. The crowd was murmuring with an excitement that he could hardly call appropriate, but the trial was just beginning and the pressure was already palpable between Gabriel and Marinette and Louis.

"Son, please make your way to the witness stand," The judge graciously asked as Louis shakily walked towards the stand. As he walked his way up, he eyed the prosecutor that constantly looked at him with that condescending look.

"We're going to ask you to testify about what you did 8 years ago," Mr. Payne explained in such a haughty accent that repulsed Louis.

"Isn't there like a law or right that I can't be asked to be a witness against myself?" Louis asked coldly, secretly desperate to find a way out of testifying as he was pretty sure what he said was a perfectly reasonable inquiry.

"Sorry boy, you're thinking of America that protects you with the 5th Amendment, this is France and more importantly a trial with Phoenix Wright in it, so your odds are pretty much stacked against you," Mr. Payne explained as a matter of factly that made the gang in the stands completely flabbergasted at his explanation, including Marinette.

"That doesn't make any sense!" Louis retorted in disbelief as this kind of logic didn't even make any sense at all, but since when did any of this make sense.

"Isn't there a law that actually does protect what Louis is talking about?" Alya asked dumbfounded with the rest of the group in shock as well. Nino nodded and leaned over so he could tell the rest of the group.

"There is, America isn't the only country that protects your rights to not self-incriminate, in fact many countries do, but I guess this trial seems designed to screw over Mari and Louis," Nino explained as the rest of them looked on at the trial in disbelief.

"So? What? So is this trial gonna be run like a Japanese style court of law then?" Louis asked, clearly annoyed and the testimony hasn't even begun yet.

"Yep pretty much," The judge and Phoenix nodded with Louis' question, much to the latter's intense chagrin.

"That also doesn't make any sense! That's completely stupid!" Louis sighed exasperatedly as Marinette looked on at his son with worry. She was afraid that he was gonna get so heated that he might say something he's gonna regret, "is that why you have an orchestra in here?" Louis pointed to the orchestra that was waiting to get the "oh so fun" party started.

"Oh no, that's just for the dramatic ambience to make things even more intense and make trials a high pressure system," Maya explained for Louis, calling out from the far end of the defense's bench. Louis groaned and looked up at the judge in some sort of annoyed plea.

"Like for what? Is this trial recorded or some-" Louis started but his sentence died when he noticed the amount of camera people recording in the gallery, each aiming at a different part of the trial: the defense, the prosecution, the judge, the witness or accused, and an overview of the whole trial and gallery. He immediately rolled his eyes at Phoenix, who smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry kid, you kinda have to get used to it," Phoenix explained as he noticed Mr. Payne sneering at him.

"Well, Phoenix Wright! Prepare to have your trial record burned to ashes! I, the prodigy of the Paynes, will obliterate you!" Mr. Payne laughed maniacally that just creeped everyone on the base floor out, including Gabriel who Louis noticed looked turned off slightly.

"Well... Mr. Payne, then I hope you know this saying," Phoenix closed his eyes for a moment before opening them with a fire that burned for the loyalty for his clients and the truth, "From the ashes of every finished case, always comes a phoenix to shine light on the truth of the next. So... I hope you know it means that I will rise to the occasion to protect this family with everything I've got, taking yet another Payne in my ass down a peg. So I hope you're ready..." Phoenix explained solemnly as the two stared at each other with an intensity that spoke volumes. Adrien looked on as the trial was about to begin, praying for the safety of his family for the upcoming uphill struggle that was his father. Hopefully, they will rise to protect themselves and finally free themselves as the past of 15 years will be reopened.


	28. ASpecialThanks

Hey guys! SnivyLord here! I wanted to thank you all again for supporting me in this story as it reaches its climax. I have the next two chapters story boarded and are being written. In this world right now, I think we need a special time to ourselves to enjoy doing what we love, and I'm so happy that my story is a part of that. So! I wanted to thank some people that have been actively following this story. I read all of your comments and they are honestly such a joy to read so here goes!

Blacknekohime

RoseTiger

FossilRuins

Decode9

Any unnamed Guest that happens to comment and read this story!

Ibby

RebekMiraculous

OneStoryOneWorld

Cheetahkit

Evolved Ignis

Blueberrypie8102

KoalaWho

Elizabeth2001

DanLamb

Drake47

MiraculousObsessed

WaterMelony09

Forgotten Guardian

And honestly so much more! Thank you guys for riding with me on this whole story, which is one of my greatest achievements as my second fanfiction. But as the world stands right now, which is honestly a hot mess, thank you for sharing this story with me. I'm sorry if I wasn't able to get everything, but know that know and appreciate everyone's support in reading this story. So! Please look forward to the next two chapters named The Past Reopens Pt. 1 and The Past Reopens Pt. 2 , we all need some positive vibes right now and that's why I am thanking all of you! So stay safe everyone!


	29. Chapter27:ThePastReopensPt1

Author's Note: Hey guys SnivyLord here and here's an extra long chapter for you guys! I didn't mean for this story to go for this long, but I'm really glad that I did because this story turned out to be one of my greatest achievements. Beginning with this chapter, everything Adrien knew about Marinette and Gabriel in the past will be blown wide open as he will learn things that Louis, Marinette, and Gabriel had kept from him. There are some secrets that not even Marinette is aware of, but they will be revealed in the next two chapters. This is the beginning of the end so enjoy the ride because the plot is about to be blown to high heaven lol, so enjoy!

(Author's Note: You can play the Dual Destinies or Spirit of Justice Cross Examination theme, whichever is your favorite, at Moderato to make this more intense when the testimony actually starts. There are some scenes where it really doesn't seem to be appropriate so use the themes as you will :-) )

"Witness, please state your name and occupation for the court," The judge asked Louis, with the boy noticing how the jovial, kind elderly man seemed completely cold and professional. He must be really good at his job then, not that it made Louis' anxiety any easier.

"Ummm... ok, my name is Louis Dupain Cheng, and I'm a student at Francois Dupont High school," Louis answered with a hint of nervousness in his voice. The judge nodded in understanding before they were both cut off by the prosecutor.

"Ehem, Mr. Dupain Cheng, is that what you said your name was?" Mr. Payne reiterated for the boy, who nodded in response.

"Yes that's right," Louis replied curtly, wringing his hands slightly because he didn't know why he had to say his name again until the words that came out of the prosecutor's mouth made his blood run cold and Phoenix also knew why when he looked at the court record.

"Sorry to say sir, but either you are an imposter or you're lying because that is not your name," Mr. Payne borderline cackled as Louis looked at him weirdly, but it was less weird as it was afraid. Louis felt like he could mispronounce a single syllable and that would be enough to get him convicted for something that he didn't do.

"What are you talking about..." Louis tried to feign ignorance but he knew exactly what was wrong with that sentence he just said. Marinette felt herself freeze in her seat as she realized the series of events that were going to happen right here, right now.

"Your alleged name does not match the name we have on the court record, so really, who are you?" Mr. Payne explained as a matter of factly before wearing a face expression that just screamed malice and subterfuge, like he was planning on screwing Louis over.

"Ummm..." Louis tried to come up with an explanation in his head but his mind was running blank. After a few moments and he still couldn't answer, and his silence was causing a stir in the gallery as well. Phoenix narrowed his eyes at Louis, who he could see was visibly panicking.

"Why doesn't he just say his name?" Phoenix wondered aloud as Athena chimed in with an explanation.

"I'm feeling high levels of anxiety coming off of him. I think whatever his last name is, is making him afraid enough to avoid saying it even under oath," Athena explained as the trio looked at Louis with identical worried faces.

"Your honor, the first thing this boy did was lie to the court while under oath, he can't be trusted!" Mr. Payne scoffed as almost practically everyone leered at the man for his accusation. Gabriel then made a comment that just made matters worse in the courtroom.

"Then he should get held in contempt of court Your Honor, the boy has dug his own grave," Gabriel flippantly added but was immediately and quite harshly cut off by Marinette, who almost made him regret his choice of words. Almost.

"Gabriel, I swear to God, shut up or so help me I will make you," Marinette growled with an intensity that made her words seem like a knife. Her hands were angrily pressed in an "ok" sign and she wasn't even looking at him. She just had her eyes firmly yet softly closed as if she was trying really hard not to snap, "and trust me, I will get a voluntary guilty verdict if that means I get to murder you!" Marinette emphasized every word with increasing animosity.

"Have you been uncivilized so soon Madame Dupain Cheng, admitting to potential murder is surely in bad taste," Gabriel scoffed knowingly as in the chaos of the courtroom, they had their own little spat and Marinette immediately had a comeback.

"You really wanna know what's in bad taste? You wanting to send a child to prison and accusing a 6 year old of grand larceny!" Marinette retorted strongly, it was almost in a deadly whisper. The defense just watched both parties kept arguing with each other and the gallery couldn't be controlled with all the suspicion in the air, "and don't forget the fact you're facing arson charges as well because your plan literally backfired on you!" Gabriel and Marinette snarled at each other as the other pair continued their arguing as well.

"You know it's me! My picture is literally on the court record!" Louis argued as he tried to get out of saying his real name but Mr. Payne wouldn't have it.

"Ha! Doesn't prove anything! You could have had plastic surgery to match the defendant's face!" Mr. Payne shot back as Louis' eyes could not roll any harder than it possibly could in this moment.

"Really? How paranoid and completely bête do you have to be in order to suggest the crazy notion that I've had plastic surgery to pose as a 14 year old boy!?" Louis countered but Mr. Payne still kept grilling him about other things as if he was trying different ways to get Louis to crack and finally snap.

"Maybe you're not an imposter but you're still lying to this court! You obviously can't be trusted to testify!" Mr. Payne claimed as Louis growled as if he had just been hit in the gut and now he's getting up to fight again.

"Give me a break! The only thing that can't be trusted is that obvious toupee staying on your head to begin with!" Louis yelled as he heard a collective gasp from around the room, and he didn't have to look at Mr. Payne to know that he may have crossed a line. Okay, maybe now was not a good time to just hurl out insults.

"Well well, that can't look good for the jury," Gabriel laughed in delight as Marinette immediately silenced him with a menacing laugh.

"HAHA!! Keep talking Gabriel and choose your next words very carefully because it won't end well for you," Marinette commented with a sickeningly sweet tone that just oozed malignant intent.

"ORDER IN THE COURT FOR THE LOVE OF-.." The judge calls out when he finally notices that the court has gone quiet again, "I've been calling out for the past 5 minutes and now we're... ok fine" the judge turns attention to Louis again as he scrutinized the boy's stance and expression.

"Please don't be nervous boy, but could you please explain to us why you can't say your name? We have to confirm the witness' identity in order to move on with your testimony," The judge spoke softly, genuinely concerned for the boy and is trying to coax an explanation out of him.

"I'm sorry Your Honor... I just... can't because if I say it... I'm going to be admitting to something that's not really within my best interest to reveal publicly for the time being," Louis slowly explained, as if one word that wrong could set off an explosion. He was trying to word this carefully as to not arouse suspicion, "this is for my safety..." He glanced sideways slightly to look at Gabriel who shook his head back at him as if warning him not to speak any more that he has to. Phoenix immediately noticed this subtle communication and knew what was up.

"Louis," Phoenix called out to Louis, who snapped out of his reverie.

"Yes?"

"Don't be afraid to say it, you're safe here. No one's going to hurt you do you hear me?" Phoenix reassured Louis, who felt like his walls were slightly being breached as he made touch with the reality that he couldn't be hurt in here. However, it was immediately closed again when Mr. Payne spoke up again with the same haughty condescending accent.

"You're under oath boy, so let me ask you again, are you who you say you are? Because your name doesn't match the documents I have on file," The prosecutor asked tersely as Louis felt his hands become incredibly sweating and he felt like he was gonna slip off the stand at any moment because of the sweat. He glanced to his right to find the man, the demon looking at him as if he knew Louis' internal battles. Why does that man have the power to know so much? The guy doesn't even act like a grandfather and yet how does he know Louis' own personal thoughts to such a degree?

"I uhhh..." Louis trembled with his words as his eyes kept flickering towards Gabriel, who looked pointedly at him and slowly shook his head, telling Louis to not answer the question.

"Louis! It's ok! You can trust us! Under the law and in this courtroom, I will not let anything happen to you. You will come out innocent and you will walk away free!" Phoenix pleaded with Louis, who gripped the stand tightly until his knuckles turned white.

"Right... in the courtroom... but what about after? He'll kill us anyway!" Louis breathed out as he clenched his eyes in fear, his mind feeling like it's spiraling. However, sadly, there was nothing he could do for himself, not anymore. Adrien could only watch helplessly as he watched his son suffer and he couldn't do anything for him.

"Louis, whatever Gabriel has against you, I'll uncover what it is and expose all of it," Phoenix gazed at Louis with a piercing gaze that demanded his respect and his trust. It was a gaze that Louis found to be so truthful, that Phoenix was so sure of his abilities as a lawyer that he could actually be the one to blow this case wide open, "but in order for me to do that, you're going to have to trust me, Louis?" Phoenix raised an eyebrow at Louis expecting his answer. Marinette spoke up to support his proposal.

"Louis, listen to him," Marinette started to say as Louis drank in her soothing voice, and he suddenly felt calmer, "it's going to be alright, you can say it..." Louis looked back at her with a fearful look before closing his eyes in deep contemplation, his arms gripping the stand as tight as ever.

"Fine... Your Honor?" Louis took a deep breath and looked up at the judge, who nodded in understanding and hung onto his every word, "Mr. Payne was right, Louis Dupain- Cheng isn't my name..." Louis confirmed as there was a small collective gasp around the gallery.

"Then what is your name son?" The judge asked as Louis leaned back slightly to let go of the stand.

"My name... is Louis Agreste," Louis sighed as he cast a momentary glance towards his right where Gabriel was. The gallery immediately stirred and discordant harmony of voices could be heard throughout the courtroom. Everyone stared at Adrien and Gabriel, who made no comment, they could only sit there in shock. Both of them weren't expecting him to actually say it, but for completely different reasons.

"You mean?" The judge started to ask but his inquiry was immediately answered by Louis.

"I'm the oldest son of Adrien Agreste and ehem, grandchild of Gabriel Agreste," Louis choked up those words out of his mouth. Getting out that last part could have actually choked him if he wasn't careful. The words felt so bad and distasteful in his mouth that he thought he would have thrown up, but this is a professional court of law. Even Marinette and those in the gallery could tell that was hard to get out of his mouth.

"The son to Adrien Agreste? The famous model? Now I see where you got your handsome looks from, you would certainly be a match for my granddaughter," The judge let out a laugh to humor himself as Louis could only give him a fake cordial smile.

"Wait, isn't your granddaughter like almost 10 years older than him?" Maya wondered aloud, meaning for the judge to hear, who immediately took back his previous statement. Athena couldn't help but let out a small snicker.

"Oh dear me, that was highly unprofessional of me, ehem..." The judge cleared his throat, causing the rest of the court to quiet down, "Louis, why did you try to hide this fact from the court?" Marinette and Phoenix immediately noticed that Louis' posture and expression became stiff and stoic, as if he's resigned himself to be as emotionless as possible.

"Well," Louis drew his eyes from the judge so he could look at some sort of random point in space, "My mom and Gabriel had both agreed that all three of us," Louis gestured to himself and two siblings in the gallery, who watched him with fearful eyes. They had never seen him this stiff and straight to the point before, "should lie about our names so that we wouldn't have any connection to the Agreste family and as a result my mom and my dad have been estranged for 15 years and we took our mom's last names instead of our dad's. However, Agreste should be on all three of our birth certificates." Louis explained without hesitation that it kinda scared Marinette.

"I see, but you seem like perfectly fine children, why wouldn't you want to bear your family name with pride?" The judge asked as the family, Gabriel, and the court could see Louis physically wince at his words. It was obvious that these words struck a nerve.

"Forgive me your honor, but aren't we having a trial right now for the artificial insemination incident from 9 years ago?" Louis asked almost indifferently as the judge nodded to his clarification and the court was slightly unnerved by his rather callous explanation, "and this issue was brought up by the insidious plaintiff to my right for the sole purpose of obliterating my mom for the existence of my two siblings?"

The judge could only nodded stupidly as even Gabriel looked slightly appalled at his explanation and his bitter tone with the judge. Marinette knew that Louis was going through a hard time, but it scared her to see him act out in such a haunting way that not reminiscent of her son at all.

"Technically I-" Gabriel tried to say but was cut off by Louis, who looked slightly to his side without actually looking at Gabriel to signal him to shut up and held his index finger out to express this.

"I'm not done," Louis sternly reminded Gabriel without even looking at him, and without another word, Gabriel sat back in his seat but not without making a comment before Louis continued.

"You're digging yourself deeper into that hole boy, I hope you realize that," Gabriel muttered, it be only loud enough for Louis and Marinette to hear.

"Hmph... so be it, you placed that hole there in the first place," Louis solemnly replied before looking back at the judge and continuing to explain. Marinette bore witness to this kind of interaction with Gabriel before, with herself. She felt a pit drop into her stomach as she was reminded how she used to interact with Gabriel: cold, direct, serious. Now, her son was following in her footsteps and she couldn't feel any worse.

"Louis..." Marinette whispered, but she didn't mean for her son to hear because it was her own silent prayer that Louis came out of this alright. She didn't want any more scars to made upon his mind anymore.

"How could I possibly wear that name with pride Your Honor? When... it's not a name meant for me..." Louis sighed as he glanced up towards the stands and caught his father's gaze. He felt so bad in that moment because he was basically disowning his father's name, but he had no choice. That name would never be welcome to him, not with Gabriel making their lives a living hell. The hurt and shock in his father's eyes spoke so many volumes that he wished he could take his words back. Finally, he found the strength to tear his eyes away from his dad. Adrien and Marinette couldn't believe he just said that, and that was how he felt about their family. It was heartbreaking...

"I see..." The judge gazed upon Louis sadly before lacing his hands together in thought, "well son... I'm sorry to hear that... and I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive your father for his name." Louis perked up at that sentence before feeling his lips tug up in a small smile.

"Don't worry Your Honor... I already have," Louis murmured as the judge nodded in understanding and continued with the proceedings.

"Alright Mr. Payne, your opening statement please," The judge diverted the attention from Louis and onto the prosecutor who was awaiting his time to shine... as if he had any.

"The prosecution seeks to prove Monsieur Louis Agreste guilty of grand larceny and being an accomplice to Madame Marinette Dupain-Cheng's charges of grand larceny and the murder of Doctor Alver as well. For now, we will cover the events of the day of the artificial insemination 9 years ago, however, it is possible that the prosecution will use further evidence from other past events to prove their guilt," Mr. Payne explained as he read the court report to the rest of the court. Phoenix narrowed his eyes at one particular part of the prosecution's explanation as he felt a lightbulb go off his head.

"It is possible that the prosecution will use further evidence from other past events to prove their guilt..." Phoenix murmured to himself, snapping out of his thoughts when Maya consulted him.

"Nick, do you think that part of the statement is strange?" Maya asked Phoenix, who nodded in agreement and proceeded to explain.

"Remember that list from yesterday? With the unusually large amount of evidence that seemed irrelevant to a crime that occurred in a hospital," Phoenix asked Maya, who recalled their conversation yesterday.

"Yes, I do remember that..." Maya recalled, but then she suddenly made the realization that Phoenix was talking about, "wait! You don't mean..."

"I think that my hunch was right that the prosecution is gonna use circumstantial evidence to prove Marinette guilty of multiple things that will make then judge think she's guilty go the crime that she's being tried for right now. Meaning that not only will Marinette be judged for current charge, but other events from her and Gabriel's past will also be brought into the light," Phoenix explained as Maya nodded and looked back at the continuing trial. The air in the room was intense as the real trial was about to begin, Louis looked forward as he knew that right here, right now, he was going to set things right.

"Alright witness, if you could please testify about what you did on the morning of the insemination," Mr. Payne said as the orchestra started to play their testimony song on a loop. It was almost as if they had specific songs to play at different parts, like it was rehearsed.

"Very well," Louis replied with the finality of the syllable initiating the orchestra's theme of testimony, "it started that morning when my mom had an appointment for a Pap smear..."

9 years ago...

"Maman..." I called out quietly as we entered the building. I always tried to avoid the clinic because I was afraid of doctor visits. They sometimes looked too apathetic to care or sometimes I feel comfortable with them, "are we here because I'm sick?" My mom, who was holding my hand, let out a small help of surprise and squatted down so she could hold both sides of my face in an endearing manner.

"No you're not mon cœur, this visit is actually for me," My mom explained to me before I panicked immediately.

"Wait, you're sick?! Nooooo!" I wailed and tackled myself into her arms and sniffled in her shoulder. I heard my mom let out a small chuckle of endearment before squeezing me once and pulling away so she could see my face.

"No, I'm not, I'm perfectly fine," My mom gestured to herself and placed her hands on top of her kneecaps, "it's just a quick check up visit and I'll be in and out. There's a small kid care room in the waiting room so after I check in, you're gonna be a good boy and wait for me in there with some other kids ok? I'll be back before you know it!" My mom reassured me and I gave her a small nod in understanding. Then she grabbed my hand again and we walked to the check in counter together. There was an assortment of chairs for people that were waiting and there was a table to the left that was filled with kids' toys. Mostly the ones with the metal wires and wooden shapes attached to them to move along the wires and more games. On the side of the wall closest to us, there was a giant fish tank and a TV that was playing a Disney movie that I could not remember the name of for the life of me. There was another table with accompanying chairs on the farther side of the room, but I paid no attention to those as my maman and I approached the counter...

The present...

"After that, my mom checked in, and I went into the other room to wait for her," Louis finished his testimony as Marinette nodded, but Phoenix narrowed his eyes at him. He knew he was leaving out something. The judge then nodded and looked over at Phoenix.

"Mr. Wright, you may begin your cross-examination," The judge declared as the two shared an understanding nod and Phoenix began. He looked through his documents and looked up at Phoenix again as he got an idea of which statement to press.

"So Louis, when you said you went into the other room to wait for her, did you leave the room at all when your mom was still in there?" Phoenix asked as Louis thought about it for a moment but answering carefully.

"I did, once," Louis admitted as Marinette internally gasped as Louis never told her that he had left the room during the period of time she was gone.

"And what did you do?" Phoenix continued. Louis glanced to his right again in Gabriel's direction before answering, but Phoenix thought it was rather vague.

"I went to look for my mom because I worried about her. It had been about 10 minutes or so since she went in and I panicked a little. And so I snuck in to try to find my mom," Louis explained, and Phoenix thought there was gonna be more, but he cut his explanation right there.

"And did you manage to find her?" Phoenix asked further as he just got a curt answer.

"No I didn't," Louis replied, nonetheless saying nothing more.

"I've gotta get it out of him somehow," Phoenix murmured to himself before asking another question, "did anything else happen while you were looking for your mom?"

Louis thought for a moment and knew that he had to answer in a way that wouldn't perjure himself, but at the same time kinda foreshadows what he really wants to say. He couldn't believe that he was being manipulated to the very end. However, in this way, no one else has to get hurt.

An hour or so earlier...

"I'll be with you guys in a sec! Just gotta use the restroom!" Louis called out to the rest of his family as they waved to him and went with the rest of the gang into the gallery stands. As he turned around and walked down the hall to the restroom, he could hear his echoed footsteps ringing in the empty hall. It was foreboding, but it was also creepy to him. Soon, he heard a few another set of footsteps and Louis looked back to find Gabriel Agreste standing there with his escorts. The first thing he noticed was the handcuffs on his arms.

"Louis..." Gabriel started but Louis immediately cut him off.

"I have nothing to say to you except that those handcuffs should stay permanently on your wrists," Louis narrowed his eyes at the cuffs before looking up into Gabriel's ice blue eyes. It mirrored his own sky blue eyes, and for a moment, he swore he had a moment of revelation that he and Gabriel were more alike than he would have liked.

"I'd be careful with your words if I were you... here... and in the courtroom," Gabriel sneered at Louis, who didn't flinch from his threat and kept his ever calculating expression on his face.

"Why? My mom and Mr. Wright are going to expose you make no mistake," Louis stated, planting his feet firm in the ground and folding his arms so he could withstand the intimidation that was silently emanating from Gabriel, "you have no power here... not even you can escape the law."

"Sure, you think your precious family are safe from me because the law will judge me here," Gabriel sighed as he shook his head slowly, "what will it take for you to learn that even with or without me, I have... other pawns that will certainly make sure you will stay silent during your testimony..."

"My testimony?" Louis wondered aloud before he immediately launched himself forward and grabbed Gabriel by the collar and tightened his fist around it so he could slightly choke the man. The escorts made an attempt to pull him off but the boy had such an iron grip that they couldn't, "what did you do?!"

"You'll see... you think the truth will reveal itself without your intervention?" Gabriel asked calmly as Louis scrutinized his expression even further, "you've had such a grand role to play in everything that's happened in the last 15 years just like your mother. I've made sure that you will tell the truth and let your point of view be known..."

Louis couldn't believe his ears. Gabriel had gone out of his way to make sure that he had to testify in the upcoming trial. However, he doesn't believe that truth bullshit for a second.

"My point of view? I don't believe you. You will be judged today, and you won't be running the show for much longer. If you're making me testify today, then I will expose you myself," Louis growled and he held on the collar and squeezed tighter, actually making it difficult for Gabriel to breathe.

"It's not really your truth... as it is mine. You're gonna be testifying to expose yourself because believe me... I know what you did all those years ago... and you're coming down with me," Gabriel replies coyly as Louis' eyes widened as he shoved Gabriel back harshly and could only look at him in horror.

"Go to hell Gabriel," Louis snarled as he pushed past the man and the escorts, bumping his shoulder harshly with Gabriel's in the process, to go in the other direction. He was heading back the stands, and this time, he was prepared to set things right in the end.

Back to the present...

"Nothing I would consider important," Louis tried to dodge the question but Phoenix wouldn't let him have it.

"No, that's not true, otherwise your finger prints wouldn't have been on this," Phoenix lifted up a picture of the sperm sample container. The gallery gasped as Louis winced and Mr.Payne couldn't help but laugh. Marinette gasped as her son technically lied to the court.

"Can the witness explain this?" The judge asked as Mr. Payne let out his absolutely ironic laughter.

"Mr. Wright, I must thank you for doing my job for me! This boy is definitely guilty!" Mr. Payne guffawed before Phoenix shushed him and looked calmly back at the boy in question.

"When you were inside the clinic, you must have come into contact with this," Phoenix surmised as he set the picture down and questioned Louis again, who looked definitely worried, "so the question is.. how did it happen?"

"Fine, I had gotten lost in the clinic while trying to find my mom, thinking that she was in one room, I accidentally stumbled into another," Louis explained as Phoenix finished for him.

"And that's when you came into contact with the container," Phoenix clarified as Louis nodded. Suddenly Mr. Payne guffawed and the whole court turned their attention towards him again.

"HAHA! You just proved that the boy was in the room when it happened, and with those fingerprints, there is no room for doubt that he stole that container," Mr. Payne patted his voluminous and swoopy hair that bounced with each pat. Louis was about to interject but Phoenix beat him to it with a smirk.

(Author's Note: You can start playing the Objection theme from either Spirit of Justice or Dual Destinies for an extra added effect!"

"Not so fast, Mr. Payne, can I ask you something?" Phoenix asked in such a confident tone that it baffled the court.

"What is it Mr. Wright, I'll humor you just this once," Mr. Payne sighed in vain. This is where Phoenix would strike fear into the heart of the other man.

"So if Louis were to steal this, how would he hold it?" Phoenix asked as Mr. Payne pauses for a moment to look back at the court record and read the report of the fingerprints out loud.

"It is confirmed that the fingerprints from Louis Agreste's fingertips were held slightly diagonal to the base of the container," Mr. Payne read but he immediately realized the contradiction, "wait no, you couldn't possibly suggest-.."

"But I am, if Louis wanted to steal the container, why would he hold it in such an inconvenient way. It almost seems as if he was holding it as if he was holding it up and exposed," Phoenix explained as he walked over to the evidence table that was at the center of the room and held up the container with his gloves, "you would have least used your whole hand to move it, or at least hide it." As he explained, the whole court caught on to what he was talking about, and for the first time since he's stepped into this room, Louis felt like he could breathe.

"It is definite proof that he touched it, and that container ended up in Madame Dupain Cheng's room, he must have had something to do with it," Mr. Payne argued with a hint of desperation as Phoenix rubbed his chin for a moment.

"I concede the fact that he did something as his fingerprints are on it. However, I'm willing to bet that Louis did something else when he was in that room," Phoenix smirked, his smirk growing even more as he witnessed Mr. Payne visibly panic. The judge cleared his throat and directed his attention at Louis again.

"Louis, would you be so kind as to testify about what happened when you were in that room. Try to remember the details as I know this happened 8 years ago," The judge asked with Louis nodding in response.

"Not a problem Your Honor," Louis said as Marinette couldn't help but looking worriedly at her son. He may have found an opening to breathe thanks to Phoenix, but she doesn't think he's out of the woods yet.

"I had accidentally wandered into the wrong room... and what happened was," Louis recalled as his mind went back to that time, and his memory brought back up the scenario in his mind like it was just yesterday.

8 years ago...

"Hmmm... maybe in here?" I murmured to myself as I slowly opened the door to one of the rooms and cautiously stepped inside. In my heart I was hoping to find her in here but this room seemed like a hospital room than just an operating room. However, I didn't want let my doubts consume me and I continued to walk into the room. There was a curtain at the other end of the hallway that blocked off my view of the room, but I was honestly in no rush to see who was behind the curtain if I'm gonna be honest. As I tiptoed into the room, I noticed a counter to my left that had a bunch of surgical stuff on a metal tray, and a small metal container that intrigued me. Steadily, I picked up the container and examined it and there was a label on the side of the container and in neat print letters I read the name "Chloe Bourgeois." Suddenly I heard the curtain open and I dropped the container in shock and I whipped myself in that direction to find myself face to face with a tall, stern man who looked down at me with severity. I had never been more scared in my entire breath, then I heard a voice from inside the room.

"Mr. Agreste? Who is it out there?" Chloe asked as my eyes momentarily glanced past the man to eye the woman who was in there. I couldn't believe it... one of Maman's old schoolmates was here an I was standing a mere few feet away. Alas, a few feet away was miles away because there was this scary man in front of me.

"An insignificant inconvenience who got lost... boy, whoever you're looking for isn't here," The man said slowly as I barely understood half of his sentence.

"I'm sorry, I was umm... looking for someone, but she isn't here..." I squeaked quietly as I leaned from side to side to look past the man and see if there was anyone else in the room, and there was another man in the room who looked at me questioningly, but they weren't full of disdain like the other two, but it was with sympathy. I noticed that the older man never took his eyes off me and as I peered into his eyes out of curiosity, I wish I hadn't. It was almost as if I could see the fear, disdain, and hatred behind his eyes, but I couldn't figure out why. He doesn't know me, at least I think he doesn't, we've never met. Those light blue eyes mirrored my own, but they were different in so many ways. Maman always told me that my eyes were a captivating sky blue, evidence of how the sky has infinite space to explore and grow. What I didn't know was that in the future, I would learn that my eyes are only blue because there's light in them, like the sun, but those eyes have darkened into the night because of how cruel this world was to my family. His eyes... felt like they're gonna be the reason why the sky turns dark, because they were as cold as ice.

"A little boy? I certainly do not know who you are, this isn't the place for someone like you," Chloe remarked as I slowly nodded and backed away slowly from the man, who I didn't trust in the slightest. The man narrowed his eyes at me and I felt frozen in my tracks and my legs were shaking so much. Where was Maman? I was terrified, what I felt from the man alone could have made me black out, "Mr. Agreste, you're scaring him, stop scowling so ridiculously at him."

"I'm gonna use the restroom really quick... and then I'll be going. I'm sorry I bothered you," I choked out apologetically, and frankly I was surprised I even managed to get out that sentence. I quickly rushed into the restroom on my right and closed the door quickly and washed my hands. I heard a few rustles, sounds, and muffled talking from outside but I didn't pay it any mind. I then quickly walked out without sparing another glance back there, fully aware that the hallway was empty and the curtain was drawn again, never wishing to meet that man again.

The present...

"and I left after that..." Louis testified, fully aware of the fact that he spared Gabriel's name and Chloe from his testimony, but what he said was the truth. He had touched the container, but he didn't take it with him, however he didn't know whether anyone would believe him though.

Phoenix thought his testimony through and asked Louis to repeat it a few times, but it felt as though something was missing, and so he decided to press a little further.

"Hmmm..." Phoenix thought to himself as Maya leaned closer to gauge his thoughts.

"You think something's weird?" Maya whispered as Phoenix nodded as he proceeded to explain his train of thought.

"His testimony has untapped potential, I think we could learn more from his testimony but I don't know what he's leaving out on purpose," Phoenix thought aloud as an expression of confusion and understanding crossed Maya's face before she continued.

"You think he's hiding something on purpose?" Maya inquired as she thought a few circumstantial questions that could help," Maybe here's a few things you could ask him," Maya looked up at Phoenix who turned his attention to her with the full intent of listening, "You could either ask about whether he saw the container when he exited the restroom, or you could ask about who he met in that room."

Phoenix thought about those options for a moment before he decided on his option, "Ok.. Louis," Louis turned his attention to Phoenix before he asked the question, "the people who you met in that room, do you know them?" Phoenix noticed a pang of guilt cross Louis' eyes before the latter carefully responded as if he was fully prepared to vaguely answer the question.

"At the time, no," Louis replied curtly as Phoenix noticed a smug look on Gabriel's face, as if he knew that Louis would answer like this. Suddenly Phoenix realized that Gabriel must have done something to Louis before the trial started. He knows that Louis would have done anything in his power to testify with the full intent on delivering justice to Gabriel, but some reason Louis is restraining himself.

"You say at the time, so that means you know them now?" Phoenix asked as Louis quietly scoffed and looked away momentarily.

"You misunderstand, I'm saying that at the time, I didn't know them because I was 6 years old. Simple as that," Louis replied as his family looked at his demeanor in worry.

"You said "at the time" meaning that you're implying that at THAT time, you didn't know them, but you know them now," Phoenix argued as Louis flashed him a stern look.

"Then prove it," Louis said simply as Phoenix was slightly taken aback.

"What?"

"Prove that I know those people from 8 years ago," Louis goaded Phoenix, who narrowed his eyes at the challenge. Louis took a deep breath as he knew that the only way he could testify without dragging himself down with Gabriel is if he got Mr. Wright to expose it with evidence instead of his testimony alone, "if you claim that I know those people from 8 years ago, then what exactly does that prove? Who I stole it from?" Louis challenged as Phoenix thought to himself about it and came up with a counter argument.

"No... it proves who could have possibly framed you," Phoenix replied, making Louis' eyes widen in surprise, but he didn't waver from Phoenix's suggestion, "Now, I need you to testify again about what you did when you found the container." Louis nodded and proceeded to testify about entering the room and picking up the container. He mentioned about he dropped the container when he read the name of the person on the label, presumably who the container was for.

"And that was from 8 years ago, how could the boy possibly know who they were?" Mr. Payne smirked as Phoenix picked up the container form the evidence table and looked at the label. When he read it, his eyes widened in surprise as he knew what Louis was talking about in his testimony; and he couldn't believe he didn't read the label before.

"This container, proves that you know those people in that room," Phoenix objected as he held the container in one hand and pointed his finger powerfully at Louis. the action was so powerful that a gust of air blew across the room and blasted the boy, who raised his elbow to block the wind gust, "The names on this container are Adrien Agreste and Chloe Bourgeois, and you certainly know them now." Phoenix declared as Louis grit his teeth as the court gasped in shock. Marinette couldn't believe it; not only did her son met Gabriel on that day, but he completely kept the truth from everyone and lied.

"Damn it..." Louis muttered under his breath. To be honest, it wasn't that hard to figure out in his opinion. Mr. Wright has all the evidence or most of it anyway, so he should be able to piece together what happened, "well done... you got me."

"Louis, now tell me, who else was in that room?" Phoenix asked, but before he could, another voice rang out from the gallery.

"That little boy that day... that was you?!" Chloe exclaimed as Louis looked over in the direction of who was talking.

"That's right... You, Papa, and Gabriel were all there, we met purely by coincidence," Louis said monotonously and there was a collective gasp throughout the gallery. Seriously though, it's not even that shocking, why are these people gasping? "Mr. Wright, I believe that answers your question.." Phoenix nodded as Mr. Payne interjected from the other side of the room.

"Your premise in this line of questioning is that you're trying to prove that someone else could have framed Louis correct?" Mr. Payne inquired with Phoenix nodding in confirmation, "how could Gabriel Agreste, or even the other two witnesses even recognize who he was without his mother. Gabriel had no reason to do anything to this boy if he doesn't know who he is." Mr. Payne argued, and it was a valid point. What proof does anyone have that Gabriel knew what Louis looked like? To anyone who witnessed the event, it would have been just a lost little boy who had wandered in and wandered out, and Louis testified that he didn't even say his name.

Phoenix grit his teeth and looked back at the evidence, scrounging and looking through at the items that have been submitted to the court. What could possibly prove that Gabriel knew who Louis was when he came in? The sperm container? The empty gas container? The security footage from the hospital? The used doctor's mask? The empty glass of water with trace amounts of zolpidem? And then finally, as if he was given a sign, his eyes landed on the cameras that were placed around Marinette's house. He would have definitely had the chance to get at least one look at Louis.

"These," Phoenix held up the security cameras, "are cameras that were set up around Marinette's house when she was first forced to go into hiding. Throughout the six years before the day of the insemination. Gabriel would absolutely have every opportunity to find out what Louis looked like. After all these cameras were set up around their house to monitor them." Marinette looked down slightly in shame because everything that had happened in the last 15 years was now becoming known to the court, to someone. The burden of carrying such suffering has been lifted now.

"Then the question remains, did Louis leave the room with the sperm container?" Mr. Payne asked shrewdly as Phoenix countered back with some more arguments.

"Also, another thing is that how would Louis even know as a 6 year old, what a sperm container even looks like? Did you consider that Mr. Payne?" Phoenix asked as he noticed Mr. Payne visibly shake in annoyance and anger. Phoenix knew from the start that the argument on Payne's side was incredibly weak, after all, he was accusing a 6 year old of premeditated larceny.

"He didn't have to know what it was, just what it looked like," Mr. Payne countered but Phoenix wouldn't let him get away with that.

"Louis testified that he stumbled upon that room completely by accident, what are the chances he would actually take something from a room that he knows nothing about?" Phoenix argued and the two lawyers went back and forth like that until the judge interrupted them with a resounding pounding of the gavel.

"I have heard enough! After hearing you two discuss this child's possible culpability, it has become clear that there are too many holes in the prosecution's argument concerning this child's involvement in the theft of the container," The judged announced to the court and Mr. Payne exclaimed and the two on trial, Marinette and Louis, looked to their right at Gabriel to find him visibly livid, "The witness' fingerprints may be on it, but there is not enough evidence to prove that this witness is the one who took the container, unless the prosecution has more evidence to present?" The judge turned his attention towards the prosecutor who cowered slightly under the pressure. The rest of the party looked at him with bated breath as they were afraid he did actually have evidence. After a moment, Mr. Payne snickered and patted his hair again with a smirk on his face and Louis felt his stomach drop.

"I do actually Your Honor, and that is this," Mr. Payne lifted up a disc from the evidence table and Phoenix recognized it as the security footage from the clinic, "this is footage from the clinic that has the moment Louis entered and exited the room. And it has some..." Mr. Payne paused for a moment to look at Louis maliciously, "compromising footage..."

Louis grit his teeth in frustration as he knew that he had nothing to do with that container besides touching it, but Mr. Payne wouldn't let it go; and another arises: what exactly did that footage show him doing?

"Please show us what your idea of compromising footage is," Phoenix taunted in a sort of goading way, as if he was trying to push Mr. Payne into showing the footage. With all the circumstantial holes in the prosecutor's argument, there was no way Louis actually took the container, but it must be footage of Louis doing something else.

"Mr. Payne, if you would please show us," The judge asked as he readjusted his black robe and Mr. Payne nodded in response.

"As you wish Your Honor," Mr. Payne put the CD in the player and the video started up on the monitors on either side of the judge's podium and the court all leaned forward to watch. The first clip showed Louis walking up to the room that everyone assumed was Chloe's room and he went in. About 7 minutes later, Louis came out of the room, but he looked slightly strange; he turned back towards the door and slightly stepped backward as if he was afraid of the door, then he reached his hand into the inside of his jacket as if he was steadying something in his jacket. After that, he slowly slinked away from the door. However, between those 7 minutes, Adrien went out of the room for an unknown reason, and nothing else happened, or at least, nothing happened in front of that room anyway, "this footage clearly shows Louis hiding something in his jacket when he left the room, and the prosecution believes that he was hiding the container."

"We've already discussed the strange position of the fingerprints, there was no way that Louis would have stolen that container with just the tips of his fingers," Phoenix argued back, making Mr. Payne growl back in annoyance. Phoenix sighed and started once again, "but I'll entertain the idea that Louis is hiding something in his jacket, but only the footage will show us exactly what was it."

Everyone turned their attention back to the screen again and as Louis reached inside his inside pocket of his jacket, he pulled out a little something that was barely visible. To the common eye, it just looked like some sort of yellow string, but the gang knew what it was.

"As you can see on the video," Phoenix pointed out, "whatever he has in his hand is definitely not the container, so any grounds you have to implicate him of this crime is void." Marinette looked closer at the image and she realized what that little string was, she could even make out the beads.

"Adrien's charm..." Marinette whispered to herself , and him taking it out, she knew what it meant. That charm when Louis was younger was used as his pacifying device whenever he got panicked. It was his greatest treasure and it became his habit to take it out and pray to it whenever he got scared, because he knew it was his father's. There was a moment of tense silence between the two lawyers, but it as soon broken by the judge.

"Then that is the end of that, as of right now, there is no more point discussing this further. Witness, I am so sorry you've had to go through this, I understand it's been very nerve-wracking for you," The judge consoled Louis, who like a twisted rubber band that was released, his rigid, calm demeanor was reduced to a shaking, relieved boy again, "You may step down, thank you for your time." Louis released the iron hold he's had on the stand and he felt the blood rush into his hands again and he could feel them shaking. He feels relieved, but his body doesn't, and slowly he takes a step backward, as if he was stepping back from a bad memory. Suddenly, a voice cut through his stupor and he felt his body jump in fear.

"You're afraid aren't you?" Gabriel murmured over to Louis, who clenched his eyes closed.

"What are you trying to say, stop with the riddles," Louis said through clenched teeth. Hasn't he been tortured enough? Hasn't he said enough? Dealing with adults that are out to frame him is bad enough, but he doesn't need the mental strife anymore. Luckily, his mom was there to back him up.

"Gabriel that's enough, don't you think you've done enough?" Marinette gave him a harsh, pointed look before Phoenix also cut in after her.

"Mr. Agreste, I won't have you badgering my witness," Phoenix reminded Gabriel, who the family could tell he was mad on the inside because Louis was now off the hook. He looked from Phoenix to Louis and he still had that confident look on his face, as if there was something else Louis was responsible for.

"You're innocent... at least this time..." Gabriel muttered knowingly as he faced forward again, as Louis looked at him in disbelief, but it was a boiling anger. After a moment, he spoke up again, shocking everyone with his outburst.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?!"Louis shouted with such an aura that shocked the whole room. You could practically feel the desperation and anger in his voice, and the judge was about to stop him before he figured he should let Louis say his piece. With every gasping breath he spoke, he sounded more crazed and mad than ever, "Because I honestly don't wish to know what's in that sick twisted head of yours. I don't how my mom did it, dealing with you and being strong when I can hardly do it myself," Louis took one deep breath before he finally managed to breathe a sentence that was remotely calm, "you may not realize this... but that hole you mentioned earlier? You're also in it, and whether you like it or not, you're sinking with me and you will not get out." Gabriel looked at the boy's dead serious face, no longer the face of a 14 year old boy; where you would find joy and exuberant ambition, you also find maturity and the reality of the world that has settled in. This is a boy who understands what it means to stand on their own as an adult against others who seek to benefit from his suffering.

"Son, if you don't mind, you're still a witness to this crime and we would appreciate your valuable testimony when we have need for your cooperation," The judge reminded Louis, who nodded in response.

"It's not a problem Your Honor," Louis replied as the two nodded in understanding and he stepped away from the stand. He walked over to the seat beside his mom and sat down, breathing a huge sigh of relief.

"Louis... forgive me... for leaving you alone that day," Marinette looked over at her son, and rested her hand on his shoulder, which he gladly leaned into. Louis then turned his head slightly so he could make eye contact with her.

"Don't apologize Mom, it was me who didn't tell you what happened... I was too scared to tell you. I'm sorry," Louis whispered, his last words hanging on a tearful note. Marinette sighed and brought her hand over to cup the other side of his face to bring him closer so she could lean her head on top of his.

"It's alright, we'll make it through this... together. It's time I do my part too," Marinette murmured to Louis, who nodded in understanding. Everyone that was watching from the stands could now release their breaths in relief now that Louis was in the clear. However, it was far from over since the only thing that they managed to prove was that Louis didn't take it since it was nowhere on his person when he left the room. Now the question remains, what happened to the container after Louis left? As Phoenix and Mr. Payne looked through the footage again in the court record, they found something else interesting, however, they weren't able to touch on it because another development was about to occur.

"Your Honor!" Chloe called out from the stands as everyone turned their attention towards her, "I would like to testify! I can testify about what happened after Louis left!" The entire court looked at her in shock. Gabriel, Marinette, and the others couldn't believe their ears.

"And who are you?" The judge inquired as Chloe scoffed and yelled out again.

"How ridiculous! I'm Chloe Bourgeois, I was one of the people in that room that day, and I can testify!" Chloe replied as people gasped and the judge narrowed his eyes at her to get a good look at her. Adrien couldn't help but lean over and reassure Chloe if she's ok or not.

"Chloe, are you sure about this?" Adrien asked as Chloe turned sharply to him and looked at him dead serious in the eyes.

"Adrien... Mari and Louis are in a huge amount of danger if this trial keeps going like this. I figured something was weird that day... I don't know the full story, but I know that this isn't going to end up well for them unless I help," Chloe replied as she glanced at Marinette and Louis to find them looking up at her. They shared a moment of silent understanding before the judge called out again.

"Alright then, we will have a 10 minute recess in order to prepare for Madame Bourgeois' testimony," The judge announced and the gallery immediately released their anxiety and started talking amongst themselves and they filed out into the outside halls. Marinette walked out with Louis into the side meeting room so they could meet up with Phoenix, Adrien, and the others. As the pair walked into the side room outside the court doors, they saw Phoenix waiting for them as well as Adrien. Adrien then immediately approached his son and gently held him by his side, leaning down so he could look at his son in the eyes.

"Louis, are you ok?" Adrien asked as Louis nodded and slightly dismissed his question. It was as if he just didn't want to deal with the questions anymore, either positive or negative, he just didn't want to answer anything anymore. Adrien understood and let go, gaining an appreciative yet timid smile from his son.

"I'm fine... I'm just relieved... but mostly exhausted," Louis replied as Hugo and Emma ran up to him and hugged him, which he gladly reciprocated. Marinette raised her hand to rub his shoulder to comfort him. When his siblings let go of him, they couldn't help but fire questions at him.

"Lou... how could you have gone for this long not saying anything? It must have taken so much strength to continue your childhood as if it was normal," Hugo sniffled as Louis squatted down to meet his little brother's height and set his hand on his shoulder.

"Hugo... Emma... one thing I want you two to know is that, that struggle to keep everything to myself, it was easier to bear when you two came into my life. You, Emma, and Maman, all three of you made it easier to forget and I thank you for that," Louissaid softly, making Hugo take another sharp breath before jumping into his brother's arms to hug him again with Emma following.

"We're sorry Lou," Emma cried into Louis' shoulder, who shook his head gently and smiled.

"There's nothing to apologize for," Louis replied with the other adults looking on at them with sympathy. After the siblings let go of him and Phoenix could get down to business with them.

"Louis, there's something I want to talk to you about," Phoenix started as Louis straightened himself to meet Phoenix. The group gathered around Phoenix as he pulled out his phone and showed the footage to Louis. What was on there took everyone completely by surprise. It was Louis in front of a door that was open and there was some kind of smoke billowing out of it. Louis tripped and fell onto his bottom as he tried to back away from the door. After a few moments of staring at whatever was in the door, it was scary enough for Louis to get up, dash forward and close the door on whatever it was. He then turned around and held his back to the door in an attempt to keep it closed. With the gas still seeping out from the door, Louis held his mouth and nose closed as he slumped to the floor, coughing and wheezing from the pain. Soon, he tried to stand up to get away from the door, but his knees buckled from his slipping conscious and he fell forward onto the floor unconscious and the clip ended there. Everyone could only stare in shock at the new turn of events, "Louis, what did you see in that room that prompted you to do such a thing?"

Louis stared at the paused clip for a while longer as he recalled the events of what happened when he searched for his mom after stumbling into the room. When he finally recalled the moment, he subconsciously took a sharp intake of breath and took a step backward, his eyes completely hazed by the memory. He remembered the ghastly pale face of the monster that reached out to him. He could barely remember what the creature was saying because he was so incredibly panicked. He remembered how angry he was at the doctor who told him his mom was in that room and for a moment, he thought whatever was crawling towards him was his worst nightmare, "I think... it was a person... who needed my help because she was trapped, and I was so afraid that Mom would have died in there, but..." Louis said slowly as his mind finally came to a realization, one that he didn't want to admit, "in my panic... I thought she was coming for me, and I held the door closed while I killed us both. We both suffocated in that gas..." Louis recalled, murmuring to himself, but it didn't even seem like he was even talking to anyone. Mairnette immediately steadied Louis' shoulders and rubbed them in an act of support as she looked into his son's eyes, which were completely vacant.

"Louis... sweetie... it's going to be alright... you didn't kill anyone..." Marinette replied softly as she gently wrapped the rest of her body around him in a hug, crying into his neck, " Who could blame you? You were terrified..."

"Poor Louis..." Maya consoled the family as Louis leaned his head against his mom's and began to cry silently. However, it hit Maya that if Dr. Alver was supposed to see Marinette, then the person Louis probably saw that was crawling towards him was most likely her. And of all the things to mentally scar him for life, "Then it must have been whoever set off the gas in that room that killed Dr. Alver, because that's the only time when it could have happened," Maya realized as she analyzed Louis' ramblings. He had mentioned there was a woman who was trapped in one of the rooms, the supposed room that had Marinette in it. Phoenix realized. this as well and his next question came to life before anyone could beat him to the punch.

"Wait... then... Marinette... where were you when this happened?" Phoenix asked as Marinette tried to recall any memory of that day of her son being stalked by a dying person, but nothing came up. That day was just one huge blank because she figured she must have blacked out in the middle of it. This mystery was only beginning and the floodgates that were holding back the memories and incidents of the past has now been fully unleashed. With the past being reopened, it was only a matter of time before the big twist that no one saw coming would come to light, and rock the Agreste family to the very core. What else was Louis hiding and where was Marinette during all of it? Adrien couldn't help but feel like this recollection and reveal of the past was best kept closed after all.


	30. Chapter28: ThePastReopensPt2

Author's Note: Hey guys SnivyLord here! I am so sorry for being really late, I'm not super consistent with uploads so here it is! The Past Reopens Pt. 2, I had actually planned this chapter or actually both these chapters months in advance but I never actually written it down on paper because I was busy. However, now this epic trial idea I had in my head can now come to fruition. So here's the summary! Continuing into the trial, Marinette and Phoenix learn what Louis saw in his second encounter. A new witness comes to shine light on the events and cause more doubts about the truth about what happened. What Louis saw and how the encounter even happened to begin with will be revealed, even though it may not be the thing that our cast of characters want to hear. I really hope you guys enjoy the shocking end to Marinette's long standing nightmare! Just an FYI, I made this chapter especially long for you guys, I hope those who follow this story can enjoy the finale to this trial. However, it's not over yet!

Chapter 28: The Past Reopens Pt. 2

The atmosphere was tense when everyone filed back into the courtroom. Everyone was anxious to bear witness to the truth behind Dr. Alver's murder as everything was still shrouded in mystery. Louis sat back down at the witness bench and tried to clear his anxiety ridden thoughts from his mind. Every time that he closed his eyes for a moment, that image of what he saw when he opened the door plagued his vision and he shook himself.

"Let's just get this over with..." Louis whispered to himself as his mom took her place at his side and Chloe Bourgeois took the other, and they could feel the determination radiating off of her in waves. Marinette looked over at Chloe with a slight fear because who knows what Chloe was thinking in that moment.

" Chloe, are you sure you want to do this?" Marinette asked carefully, receiving a snappy response from the other woman.

"What a ridiculous question! Of course! It's my fault that both of you are in this mess," Chloe sighed regrettably as she thought about her decisions in the past and how much trouble they caused for everybody, "If only I had just let it go... none of this would have happened, so I am truly sorry for the suffering you have gone through, and I will do my part to set things right today." Louis and Marinette shared an appreciative look as Chloe gave them a reassuring smirk. And so the trial resumed to find out the truth behind what Louis saw and how Marinette ended getting involved.

"Alright witness, please state your name and occupation for the court," Mr. Payne instructed, looking at the court record and not paying attention to her until he realized that nothing has been said. Looking up, he saw her doing her nails and her makeup on the stand, "Ummm witness! Please state your name and occupation for the court!"

Chloe rolled her eyes and stopped filing her nails for a second to address him, "Oh be patient prosecutor man, would you tell a rose to bloom faster?" Mr. Payne looked taken aback at her remark with the other parties giving her a few worried laughs and by other parties, it really means Louis and Marinette giving her sympathy laughs because they were afraid for her life.

"I like her," Athena remarked as Phoenix rolled his eyes playfully and Chloe finally finished filing her nails.

"Alright, time to get this show on the road, my name is Chloe Bourgeois and my occupation is self proclaimed superstar and queen bee of Paris!" Chloe answered, which was followed by a long silence in the courtroom until Marinette finally spoke up.

"Chloe.. you might wanna refrain from using the word 'self proclaimed' because it doesn't bode well for you," Marinette suggested before she was cut off by a rather abrupt reply.

"Do you want my help or not?" Chloe asked as she turned her head to the side to acknowledge to Marinette. The latter opened her mouth for a moment to say something but thought against it and closed it again, instead she settled on a short reply.

"Carry on," Marinette extended her hand out to signal the continuation of the proceedings. Then the judge cleared his voice and resumed the trial.

" Thank you Madame Bourgeois, now if you can please testify about what you saw when Monsieur Agreste stumbled into the room and what you saw after," The judge asked and Chloe nodded and flipped her hair. What Chloe was going to testify, nobody knew for sure, but Marinette was going to trust that whatever she had to say, it would help her.

"Here we go..." Phoenix murmured under his breath as Chloe began her testimony.

"Starting after Louis left, Gabriel said," Chloe recalled as her thought went back to that day. She had thought to herself that something was definitely strange on that day. One way or another, Chloe had to know what happened for herself so she could bring peace and solace to the past and her conflicted heart after all these years.

8 years ago...

"That was strange.. how did a little boy get lost by accident?" Chloe wondered as she looked over at Adrien, seemingly looking for an answer, but she just got a mirrored look and a small shrug.

"I don't know... although, I hope he finds who he's looking for though," Adrien murmured as Chloe nodded in agreement. After a moment, they realized that Gabriel was just standing there, looking intensely at the door. He didn't say anything for the moment until Adrien called out for his father.

"Father, is something wrong?" Adrien asked as he sat back down into the chair beside the window. Gabriel was still standing there, staring at the door until he saw his father visibly shake himself slightly before turning around to face the two. Adrien could tell his father was slightly beside himself, but he still made the effort to keep a straight face.

"Nothing, just a little surprised," Gabriel replied curtly, taking another look back at the door before sitting down once again and looking straight ahead, waiting for the doctor. Only a while later did Gabriel suddenly stood up and headed towards the cart.

"Mr. Agreste, what are you doing?" Chloé asked wearily as Gabriel gave an acknowledging nod in her direction; sometimes though she doesn't understand what that even means. Gabriel looked over the things on the cart for a moment before replying ominously.

"Just making sure the things are in order, I'll be just a moment," Gabriel explained before grabbing the curtain that covered the room from the hallway and pulling to obstruct the pair's view.

Present Day...

"Wait does that mean that you didn't see what Gabriel did after that?" The judge asked, making Phoenix wince in slight disappointment and Mr. Payne grin slyly in delight. Chloé then quickly held up her hand as if she was signaling the judge to let her finish.

"Hey! Before you discount my testimony, there is one thing I want to mention that seemed a bit off," Chloé noted as she continued her testimony and the judge leaned back in his chair to let her continue. The more she recalled that day, the more unsettling thoughts settled in her mind as she remembered more strange things.

"There was an imprint in the curtain," Chloe continued and with that line, Marinette saw Gabriel visibly stiffen at those words. As if that sentence revealed some underlying truth to what had happened. Phoenix had also seemed to notice and decided to press more on that statement.

"Madame Bourgeois, can you please describe what that imprint looked like," Phoenix asked as Chloé played with her earring with her fingers as she tried to recall the shape, gently tapping the earring to feel it swing.

"It's like an oval shape, like it was kinda round, and it was very noticeable. However, it seemed like someone's behind," Chloé testified as Phoenix took in her words, specifically the one that aimed towards "someone's behind." Suddenly, a thought clicked in his head as the judge questioned him about his line of questioning.

"Mr. Wright, do you think you have an explanation for this eyewitness' testimony?" The judge asked and Phoenix couldn't help but cross his arms and smirk at the implication he was about to make.

"I think I can. So Chloé testified that she saw an imprint in the curtain, and it looked like someone's behind. Now we need to ask ourselves, in what situation would a person that is standing, make an imprint in the curtain with their behind?" Phoenix asked as Mr. Payne interjected for a moment to clear up Phoenix's claim.

Marinette could see the man sweating as he asked, "So you're saying Gabriel Agreste is the one who made this imprint?" The answer to that question was obvious, however admitting to that would cause a few complications to unfold, as it would mean admitting to a very probable possibility.

"Yes, because there was no one else in that hallway, now, the only situation in which you would have your behind go backward enough to make an imprint on the curtain, is when you're bending over," Phoenix explained as everyone could hear the court nodding in agreement as his argument did make sense. Then, Marinette looked over at Gabriel to find him physically uncomfortable with the events that are unfolding. It was as if at this moment, he knew he was caught.

"Meaning what exactly Mr. Wright?" Mr. Payne asked defensively, but he didn't really want an answer because it couldn't mean anything good.

"Chloé, can I ask you this?" Phoenix asked as Chloé nodded and he proceeded to ask the fated question that would lock everyone's fate on this trial, "did you see the container after he was done?" Chloé's eyes widened as she thought about this question, because she did remember Gabriel coming back into the room after and the curtain was open. However, the more she remembered it, she realized that the container was missing after that fact.

With a wave on uncertainty coursing within her because she doesn't know what this means for Marinette, but answering honestly is her best... and only shot, "No, I don't remember seeing it." After that statement, the whole court gasped and murmured as they theorized what this could possibly mean.

"I can't believe this, so, what does this mean?" The judge asked with a hint of panic that should honestly not be there. Phoenix took his hand to rub his eyes in thought before he came to the logical conclusion. If there was anyone to blame for this whole misfortune for Marinette, Gabriel had probably something to do with it.

"The container would have had to have been moved, because it was found in Marinette's room. That would mean... Gabriel Agreste hid the container to purposely prevent Madame Bourgeois from using it," Phoenix exclaimed, causing the whole court to gasp in awe at his deduction. However, if that was true, then that means that there's a whole new avenue of truth that was going to reveal itself to the court.

"W-WHAT?!" Chloé exclaimed as she whipped her head to Gabriel, who sat there coolly, but Marinette could tell he was unnerved because he was refusing to meet Chloe's eye, "Gabriel, you were the one that did the switch?!"

"The attorney hasn't any proof that the accusation of his is even valid," Gabriel replied coolly, earning a scoff from Marinette and Louis and a shriek from Chloé.

"Well, if the container ended up in Marinette's room when the whole thing was over, then it would have had to been moved from Madame Bourgeois' room, and you were the only one with the opportunity to," Phoenix explained just as coolly as Gabriel as he knew he had him, "plus, with Madame Bourgeois' testimony, we have proof that you could have done it."

Gabriel could only sneer at Phoenix as everyone could feel the tension rising in the room, "You've only proven the possibility that I could have done it, but proving that I did do it is a different story," Phoenix was sure of one thing now and that was Gabriel definitely had something to do with it. He can see it in his eyes, his demeanor, and the way he's talking, like he's trying to slip past the spotlight centered on his crime.

"What I think the innocent plaintiff here is trying to say," Mr. Payne emphasized as he went on, "is that there is a few holes in your theory Mr. Wright. First of all, if the container had ended up in Madame Dupain Cheng's room, then Gabriel would have had to have known Madame Dupain Cheng's room number, which is an already ludicrous accusation in itself. Also, Gabriel would known that Madame Dupain Cheng was there that day. In conclusion, your theory is way too slipshod to hold any water," Mr. Payne explained as if he just won a point in a game of chicken. Maya thought about those two questions and if they were going to indict Gabriel for these crimes, they were going to have to prove both questions were actually the circumstances of the incident.

"In order for the container to make it into Marinette's room, Gabriel would have had an accomplice, an insider in the clinic that would have helped him," Maya whispered to Phoenix, whose eyes widened at the implication, but in his mind, that is the only thing that would make sense. While the court was in thought, Chloe spoke up.

"Ummm Your Honor? Can I like leave now?" Chloe asked, shifting uncomfortably as the judge nodded and gave a small smile.

"Thank you for your testimony Madame Bourgeois, you may step down," The judge nodded to Chloe, who breathed a sigh of relief before backing off of the stage and back her seat at the witness bench. It's hard to imagine Chloe looking and feeling rattled by the developments the just occurred, but Marinette could clearly see AND feel the unease oozing off of her friend. Marinette knew that Chloe was aware of her testimony opening up a few shocking possibilities that could actually save her. However, the possibilities could lead to a truth that no one wants to know.

"This trial isn't over yet..." Louis murmured under his breath as the judge readied the court to proceed onto the next hearing. Even though he could breath a sigh of relief or relish in the fact that he is no longer culpable, he couldn't. Chloe uncovering the truth could mean something else even worse for his mom, so he just couldn't relax. After a few more moments, the court reconvened with the prosecution leading.

"In this hearing, we will hear the testimony from a new witness who was with the defendant on the day of the crime," The prosecutor announced, making Marinette tilt her head slightly and question who the prosecutor was talking about.

"What? Who is she talking about...?" Marinette wondered to herself before her words died on her tongue when she saw who walked into the room. It looked like a shy, reserved woman who was dressed in a white blouse and a periwinkle cardigan. She wore her brown hair in a messy side braid, but Marinette couldn't mistake her, "Y-You!"

The woman who walked up the the stand heard her and turned her head to meet her appalled eyes, "So we meet again Madame Dupain Cheng..."

"Please state your name and occupation for the court," The judge stated as the woman turned her attention away from Marinette to face the court and fulfill her duty. Marinette never expected her to show up here; to think that one of the witnesses who worked at the hospital where it happened would actually testify after all these years.

The woman took a deep breath, but that breath looked like it could actually shatter her fragile figure, "My name is Francine Mendelev, and I was a nurse at the Lafayette Hospice Clinic where it happened." It seemed only Marinette remembered her form 8 years ago, although granted, she didn't think anyone would think to remember her.

"Very good, witness, you may begin your testimony," The judge nodded, checking over the records one more time to reassure that he got the right person. Phoenix narrowed his eyes at the nurse, his thoughts running wild about what she could possibly say. What he wanted to find out is what happened during the appointment, because so far, they haven't gotten testimony to what Marinette was doing nor what Louis saw, but he had a feeling that they were going to get to that soon.

"I was the nurse who accompanied Madame Dupain Cheng into the clinic to wait for Doctor Alver, and I guided her into the room, to wait for the doctor while I went to go get the clipboard to record her health," Francine testified, as she regrettably recalled that day in her mind. There were certain things from that day that she didn't want to remember.

8 years ago...

"Alright Madame Dupain Cheng, if you would please wait right here, the doctor will be with you in a few minutes, and I will be back to ask a few questions for your record, ok?" Francine asked Marinette as Francine stood by the door and let Marinate walk in to sit on the examination bed. Marinette gave her a cordial, kind smile in response.

"Yep, got it, thank you," Marinette nodded, however, Francine noticed there was something off about the patient as she could see the worry wrinkles etched in her face.

"Is there something wrong?" Francine as Marinette shook her head as she proceeded to explain.

"I'm sorry, it's just my son, he's usually allowed to go in with me on these visits, I'm just worried because he's only 6 and he's on his own out there," Marinette wrung her hands, taking in a deep breath to calm herself down. Francine nodded in understanding as she could only imagine how nerve-wracking it could be to leave her child out there in the daycare section of the lobby.

"Your son should be fine in the daycare, he'll be fine in there until you come out. Plus, a pap smear isn't something your son should see anyway," Francine joked slightly as Marinette gave back a small courtesy chuckle in response, "Alright, just sit tight," Francine nodded one last time before closing the door behind her, taking in a huge breath to still her conscious. So that was the woman, the woman that man told her to subdue. She didn't get why she had to do that to the kind lady, she seemed perfectly nice; however she knew that if she didn't do what she had to do, then her secret would get released to her family, and she couldn't bear it. However, she couldn't mention what she did to the court. Plus, she had to go see another patient, and Doctor Alver could take care of her. She walked back to the nurses' office to get her clipboard and grabbed a bottle of "relaxing, anxiety reducing medicine" for Madame Dupain Cheng, because she thought she could use some. Walking down the hall to prep her next patient for the doctor, she found her rendezvous waiting for her by the corner in the hall. It was another doctor, and she noticed that he was wearing a doctor's coat over a 3 piece suit, and a mask over his face, obscuring most of it from.

"Hello Doctor! Would you mind taking this medicine to the patient to room 1220? She's having a little anxiety about her son, being outside in the lobby," Francine nervously asked she handed the bottle of medicine over to the man, who nodded graciously and replied.

"Of course, I'll bring that right over to her, not to worry," The doctor said, but she caught that mysterious and nefarious tone. However, she knew that for the sake of her family, this was as far as she was willing to get involved. Little did she know, it was going to escalate into an all out disaster. As she continued to walk to her other patient with the other doctor going in the other direction, she looked back at him with a strange sense of foreboding.

Present Day

Francine left out the part about her involvement in Marinette's part in the story, however, she knew there wasn't much she could testify about that wouldn't reveal what she did. The court listened intently, but found that her testimony was rather vague. However she wasn't done yet, as the actual part of the testimony as just begun.

"Alright, then what happened after that?" Mr. Payne inquired as Francine nodded and continued.

"The period of time when I checked back upon Madame Dupain Cheng was about 15 minutes perhaps, but when I checked back upon Madame Dupain Cheng. Something was definitely wrong, I saw her run out of the room and down the hall and there was smoke pouring out of the room!" Francine testified, making Marinette cocking her head to the side. She didn't remember that though. She ran out of her room due to a bunch of smoke? Thinking back to that day, Marinette always knew that there was a blank in her memory, but she couldn't figure out why. Did she really run out of the room when there was smoke? "I approached the door while blocking my nose and when I opened the door, I screamed because there she was, Doctor Alver crawling towards me! The gas, I realized was poisonous so I backed away and alerted the authorities immediately using the emergency phone in the nurses' office."

"I see, alright, defense, you may begin your cross examination," The judge nodded as Phoenix proceeded to cross examine the nurse. All the sudden, the oh so familiar cross examination theme filled the courtroom, and this process started again.

Looking through all of her statements, there were a few that struck to him as odd. She first commented on how she was the person who guided Marinette to the room, and decides to mention that Marinette was worried about her son. She went to go tend to another patient, and gave anxiety-reducing medicine to another doctor to give to Marinette. However that statement didn't make any sense since Marinette testified that she didn't see any other doctor that day. So that's where he should press.

"Madame Willow, are you sure that when you gave that medicine to the doctor, it made it to Marinette's room?" Phoenix pressed with Francine nodding in response.

"Yes, I'm sure that the medicine got to her," Francine replied, and Phoenix went over the statements again. There was something wrong about saying yes to his question, because if she gave the medicine to another doctor to give to Marinette, and she didn't come back to Marinette's room until she saw the smoke, then how did she know that she did take it? Marinette already stated that she didn't meet anyone else while she was waiting for the doctor.

"How are you sure? Marinette already testified that she didn't meet anyone else during the visit. Then how do you know that the medicine got to her? If not at all?" Phoenix asked, which struck a very good point in Marinette's head. When she thought about it, it didn't take sense, she clearly remembered that she didn't meet any other doctor that day. Perhaps it was something that she overlooked?

"I'm positive that it got to her because the doctor told me that it was delivered," Francine carefully stated, thinking that the reason is acceptable and plausible. Phoenix mulled over that thought for a moment before nodding.

"Alright, please add it to your testimony," Phoenix requested and Francine abided. Looking down at the evidence he had at his disposal, he was starting to figure out the warped sequence of events that happened in her testimony. The medicine that she spoke of, she was certain got to Marinette, and the doctor told her that. However, even before that, Phoenix realized that no one ever really explained why Marinette would kill Doctor Alver, "Madame Willow, may I ask you a question?"

Francine nodded in response, "Of course."

"If you are a key witness in this incident, then can you explain what motive Marinette had in murdering Doctor Alver? Because as it stands, the gas container with Marinette's fingerprints on it does not hold water because we are dealing with a strange circumstance," Phoenix explained as there was an immediate objection from across the court.

"This woman is only a witness, how could she explain Marinette's motive in her horrible crime?" Mr. Payne objected, and while Phoenix knew that was true, he also knew that the motive was a question with a vague answer. No one knew definitively why Marinette wanted to kill Doctor Alver inside a hospital.

"Then can you explain a motive? Because if not, I'd be happy to suggest an alternative to what happened," Phoenix challenged as Mr. Payne scoffed in disbelief as he tried to recollect his thoughts so he can explain the incident. The whole court settled in to listen to what Mr. Payne had to say, even Marinette was interested in trying to find out what motive she possibly could have had.

"Well, ummm you see," Mr. Payne started, but could not think of any legitimate reason that covers the facts of the case. After a few more moments, his momentum to explain died and the judge turned his head over to the defense for the explanation.

"Defense, I trust that you have an explanation for the events that transpired with the nurse?" The judged inquired as Phoenix nodded and continued to explain. He had a sneaking suspicion that the reason why Marinette had a blank in her memory about what happened in the middle of the insemination was because of what he was about to present.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the court, I would to present this medicine bottle as evidence," Phoenix walked up to the evidence table in the center of the room and placed down the bottle for all to see, and Mr. Payne knew exactly what he was about to insinuate.

"Wait Mr. Wright, you can't possibly be suggesting-" Mr. Payne interjected but was cut off by Phoenix.

"I am, because this would explain why Madame Dupain Cheng has a blank in her memory that way," Phoenix responded and then proceeded to explain, "this witness has just testified that she had medicine delivered to Marinette to help with her anxiety, and this bottle that was found in the room that she was checked into, strongly suggests that this is what Marinette took." Phoenix explained as Marinette tried to rack her brain to remember if she took any medicine that day, but she couldn't.

"And how does that bottle explain the blank in her memory as you claim?" The judge asked as Phoenix narrowed his eyes at the bottle, and came to the conclusion that there was some foul play behind what happened.

"This medicine bottle was tested, and there was apparently trace amounts of a powerful sleeping drug, a powerful anesthesia if you will, in it. This would mean that Madame Dupain Cheng was drugged to sleep while something unbeknownst to her happened," Phoenix theorized as Louis, Marinette, Chloe, and practically everyone's eyes widened as they heard that explanation. Adrien couldn't believe it, Marinette was drugged?

"Is this true? Madame Dupain Cheng, if you could please explain what happened , perhaps Mr. Wright's theory might hold some water," The judge asked as Marinette nodded and walked up to the stand, with Francine stepping aside.

"I don't exactly remember taking any sort of medicine, however, that day, another doctor came in to check in on me and offered me some water. I did take his offer, but after that, I just felt really groggy and sleepy, and..." Marinette tried to keep going but everything's a blank after that, "I think I blacked out because I don't remember anything after that." After she explained, she was immediately called out on her testimony by the prosecutor.

"You're just testifying in his favor! Where's your proof that you fell asleep?" Mr. Payne asked harshly as Marinette immediately fired back. Of course, she understood that her explanation seemed a bit weak, but she truly cannot remember what happened.

"How am I supposed to prove I fell asleep? I told you that I blacked out sometime during the visit, it's not like I keep reminders on how and when I sleep," Marinette argued back, as Phoenix interrupted the both of them while he was reading the advanced report for the medicine bottle.

"I think I have her proof," Phoenix intervened while slapping the paper slightly with the back of his hand. The report that he had on the medicine bottle could rightly explain how Marinette never came to remember what happened.

"The medicine that was given to her ,as it says in the report, was soluble, meaning that the medicine is able to be dissolved in water, and Marinette, what did you say you did?" Phoenix concluded, knowing that case has tipped in his favor, however, it became clear to him that someone meant for this to happen to Marinette. It was a very elaborate setup to be sure.

"I had a glass of water... Oh NO!" Marinette realized, clasping a hand over her mouth, now that she was accepting the real possibility that she could have been drugged. However now she had one more question that needed to be answered, "who was that doctor?"

Phoenix wore a grave expression when he turned upon Francine, who cowered slightly under his gaze, "Francine, you were the one who gave the doctor the medicine, did you know that the medicine was laced with the drug?"

Before Francine answered, the judge made sure to remind her of the risks, "Madame Mendeleev, take caution that if you lie to this court, you will be held in contempt of court for breaking the oath, and your testimony will no longer be accountable." The judge reminded her, looking down on her as if he knew that she would try something. After all, he's seen too many liars in his day trying to weasel themselves out of trouble.

Francine took a deep breath before replying shakily, causing Gabriel to grit his teeth and curse under his breath, "Yes, I knew the medicine was laced." This new confession that came to light shook the entire court. Marinette's family watching from the stands watched in horror as they came to understand that Marinette was in the middle of such dubious business. Louis comfortingly placed a hand on his mom's shoulder in an attempt to calm her down, but she was overwhelmed with disbelief and anger. It was no longer about his trauma and his struggles with what happened that day, so he had to be there for his mom, who wore the full brunt of the blame.

"Francine! Why! You drugged me on purpose! How dare you!" Marinette exclaimed, slamming her hands on the rails of the defendant's seat. Louis stood up with her and tried to calm her down, but to no avail. Francine didn't answer as she could only look down in shame.

"So then you did know, so then, I do not believe you are the true mastermind behind the incident since you did not know Madame Dupain Cheng personally, however, that would make you an accomplice," Phoenix concluded as Francine looked despairingly at him because she knew he was right. She knew that she walking on thin ice because the existence of a true mastermind was apparent, however she couldn't say who it was.

"If that's the case, then Marinette would have been asleep at the time of the incident," Maya noted but another problem came to light, a very serious problem, "Wait! If Marinette was asleep in the room where the gas was released, then how is she here?" Maya exclaimed, shaking Phoenix's shoulder slightly, and he understood the problem well. That must mean that Marinette couldn't be in the room where it happened, or at least, she was in that room.

"Madame Mendeleev testified to that extent didn't she? Madame Dupain Cheng must have woken up before she got back to her and in her haste, murdered Doctor Alver because she- ack!" Mr. Payne tried to explain but Phoenix immediately objected to it.

"There are a few problems with that explanation. One, Marinette didn't realize she was drugged until just now. And two, if she murdered Doctor Alver like that, then how did the body end up in the Seine? There is not enough concrete evidence to implicate Marinette as the murderer," Phoenix retorted as Adrien felt an air of understanding waft around the room. Everyone believed that there are too many uncertainties to implicate Marinette as the murderer and Adrien couldn't feel more relieved for her and their son. Hugo and Emma could feel the relief radiating from Adrien as they saw him visibly relax. To be honest, they couldn't hold their anxiety in, but now they could face this truth together.

"I saw her! I'm sure of it! Doctor Alver came out right after, but she was crawling on the ground and the smoke was still billowing out of the door. I was so surprised, but I couldn't help her since the smoke was still in the way," Francine testified as no one knew an answer to where Marinette was at the time of the murder.

Phoenix mulled over her statement for a bit because her testimony does add up with Louis'... and suddenly he realized the contradiction in her statement, "wait Louis' testimony before the trial started. He said something about how he saw Doctor Alver. That's it!" Phoenix exclaimed with Maya looking at him questioning what he was talking about, "Madame Mendeleev, if you were there, then where was Louis?" Phoenix asked as it suddenly dawned on Francine that Louis was there, and that she completely forgot.

"Louis Agreste? What do you mean? He was there?" Francine tried to feign ignorance but Phoenix wouldn't have it.

"There's no way you would miss a child in front of the door, so where was he?" Phoenix asked again as Louis looked fearfully at Francine, knowing that a conspirator like her was there when he got traumatized, "Louis testified that he saw Doctor Alver trying to crawl out the door, and you testified the same, meaning that you both had to be there when she was still alive."

Francine sighed as she knew she couldn't escape, "Alright, I was the one who found Louis in front of the door. I took him out to the lobby to recuperate before something worse could come along and do even worse things," Phoenix narrowed his eyes at this statement and scrutinized the nature of the second half of the sentence that she said.

"Did you think there was something else that would have came along and did something worse than witnessing a murder?" The judge asked Phoenix's question for him as Francine immediately answered.

"Yes," Francine sighed and took a shuddering intake of breath. She decided to make a side glance at Gabriel and saw him scowling at her with the stone cut damning expression. It's been 8 years, surely now is the time to finally make peace with herself and come clean, but Gabriel's presence was just making it difficult.

"I see... then I think we will need Louis' testimony on what he saw to get down to the matter of what happened during that moment," The judge declared as Louis felt his face turn pale and Marinette reached over to hug him reassuringly.

"W-w-what?" Louis stammered as Phoenix looked over at Louis and nodded in agreement.

"Louis, we're going to need your testimony if we're going to really specify what happened," Phoenix confirmed as he saw Louis' eyes fill with fear, no matter how traumatic it may be, every perspective has to be explored before coming to the truth. Louis slowly stood up and walked up to the stand with Francine stepping aside for him and sitting back down. Marinette looked fearfully at him because she knew that he almost had a mental breakdown just mentioning it earlier.

"Alright Louis, if you would," The judge nodded towards Louis, who slowly nodded as he tried to take deep breaths.

"To put it simply, I encountered a monster, it had a horrible air about it, and it was sucking me in to kill me. I felt I was suffocating, even when I looked at the monster, it was pale and almost ghoulish looking. I quickly closed the door on it, but I felt like it had somehow teleported on the other side of the door because I saw it again! I thought for sure I had killed her... but I must have blacked out by then because I tried to get away from the poisonous gas... I don't know how to explain the sadness that I feel... that I killed that monster, or person, or whoever it was," Louis testified as the court tried to discern what he was talking about because it seemed like he was just rambling on the stand. Athena then looked over at Phoenix and got his attention because she could just sense the waves of unease and guilt radiating off of Louis.

"Boss, I'm detecting a lot of anxiety and guilt coming off of him, it's completely making Widget go nuts," Athena warned Phoenix, looking down at her necklace and she could see it just visibly shaking with fear from the transference of emotions from Louis.

"You think he needs a psychological session here?" Phoenix brought a curled finger up to his chin to ponder about it and looked back at Athena, who nodded with absolute certainty.

"Yes, I think that would be best," Athena replied as Phoenix smiled and gave her an assuring nod.

"Alright then Athena, take it away," Phoenix gestured to Louis, who overheard them talking as he took even more deep breaths to calm himself down.

"Louis, I'm going to examine your emotions in this device that I call the Mood Matrix, it translates your emotions with your statements to paint scenes of the circumstances based from your memories. It should help you and I understand why you think of this incident in such a deprecating way," Athena explained with Louis cocking his head slightly because he didn't understand how emotions can be captured and translated, "I have a special sense that allows me to feel other people's emotions and I can translate those into my friend Widget here to get a sense of how you felt when it happened."

"So seeing what I saw on a hologram so I can relive the trauma then? Is that really gonna help me?" Louis asked with a hint of sarcasm as the judge chimed in on that comment.

"Trust her Louis, I've seen her work wonders by examining the psychological facet of events that have transpired in many cases. It will help you calmly understand why you remember the event a certain way," The judge reassured Louis as he nodded and Athena shot him a blinding smile before starting up the mood matrix.

"Alright, I'm going to need you to testify what you said earlier again so I can capture the emotions you were feeling ok?" Athena asked as Louis complied and he repeated the testimony again for her. Now Marinette and the rest of his family and friends can see scenes of what happened on a hologram for all to see. The Mood Matrix showed up on a huge hologram in the middle of the court with a huge smily face before splitting into four separates emotes on the four corners of the screen. Joy was top left, sadness was bottom left, anger was top right, and shock was bottom right. Just then, the orchestra started to play the theme for the Mood Matrix and Marinette could only gape in shock.

"There is a theme for this?" Marinette wondered aloud as she turned to face Chloe to see what she thought only to see her shrug in response. The first statement that appeared on screen:

"To put it simply, I encountered a monster, it had a horrible air about it, and it was sucking me in to kill me..." Louis heard his voice ring in the air as a 6 year old Louis appeared on the screen, falling backward as if he had just fallen backward to the floor on his bottom in shock. There was a door in front of him and there was the monster: a distorted ghoul with contorted limbs on all fours crawling towards him. However, these were only slightly moving images which was a godsend to him, because who knows how he could have reacted if that scene played out in full motion. With this statement, Phoenix and Athena saw that there were high levels of shock and sadness, it's only understandable that Louis would be shocked and scared however they also saw a bit of anger in this statement as well. That's a miracle to Athena and Phoenix because they already found the discrepancy.

"Louis, why were you angry when you encountered a monster? What is there to be angry about? I understand you must have been scared and shocked, but why were you angry at the monster?" Athena asked and she saw a flash of uncertainty cross his face as he tried to figure out why he was mad.

"I... was mad? I was definitely scared and shocked for sure... but I don't think I was angry at the monster... I..." Louis tried to remember as he was thinking about why he could be mad about what he saw, but then he suddenly remembered what it was, "Oh yes, I was mad at the person who told me that my mom was in that room, because the last thing I wanted to see was my mom... like that..." Louis recalled as Phoenix and Athena nodded and gave him an assuring smile.

"I see, that would make sense, and who told you that your mom was in that room?" Athena asked as Louis tried to recall what he did before he opened the door.

"I saw a doctor come out of that room and I figured I should ask around to see if anyone knew where my mom was," Louis testified as Phoenix's eyes widened at what he said, because that would mean he talked to the doctor that knew there was a dying person in there, "I remember I described her to the doctor when he agreed to help me, and then I said her name, and I remember he told me that she was in that room even though he turned kinda indifferent after I mentioned that to him . And when I opened the door, well... you know what happened." Louis finished and then he realized the major revelation that came to light: he talked to the murderer, and that made his blood run cold.

"Louis, you talked to the person who set off that poisonous gas bomb, and he directed you to that room, knowing that it was a hazard and it could kill you," Phoenix emphatically explained as Louis took a step back in disbelief and scoffed.

"So I had three attempts on my life and here I thought two was plenty, or even one attempt on my life is one too many for a kid," Louis huffed in disbelief and he felt like he was losing his mind, like near psychotic breakdown bad. Marinette clapped her hands together and held it too her face, praying for this new fact to not be true, squeezing her eyes shut to make this nightmare go away. She felt a hand on her shoulder and she opened her eyes to find Chloe looking at her sympathetically. As much as she appreciated the gesture, she was too anxious to be thankful.

"From the Mood Matrix, we can see he wasn't in a hurry to alert anyone, and he knew that someone was dying in there, and yet directed Louis to go see to that very room," Phoenix explained to the court as Gabriel got even more unhinged and worried about the course of events that were happening right now, "This person that Louis talked to must have set off the poisonous gas bomb and killed Doctor Alver, and then tried to kill Louis in the process." Phoenix concluded as he turned on Francine and immediately questioned her.

"Francine, you were an accomplice to this man, weren't you?" Phoenix asked strongly and straight to the point with an unwavering confidence. However, before Francine could answer, Mr. Payne fired back:

"How can you be so sure that the person that Francine gave the medicine to and the person that Louis talked to is the same person?" Mr. Payne retorted, but he knew it was a weak objection because both of these events were too closely related.

"Francine gave a drug-laced medicine to a doctor to take out Marinette, and then in that room Marinette was supposed to be in, a doctor set off a poisonous gas that killed Doctor Alver and almost killed Louis, " Phoenix explained to Mr. Payne as a matter of factly as it was pretty clear to the court that these two events must be related, "Also you can see the security footage from that day and as you can see," Phoenix presented the hospital video footage and replayed the two moments at Marinette's room: the one where the doctor went into that room and later exited for a while, and the other moment where Louis talked to the doctor before opening the door and witnessing the 'monster,' "These two events occurred within 10 minutes of each other when you look at the time stamp, and you can tell by their outfits that they are the same person."

"Then there's one question you have to answer then Mr. Wright if you're so sure," Mr. Payne challenged, "Where was Madame Dupain Cheng in all of this? She couldn't have been in the room when the bomb went off because she would have been still asleep. How could you possibly explain that?" Phoenix had been trying to figure out this problem for a while since Marinette had been drugged and so she was incapacitated the whole time. Perhaps it was time to turn his thinking about, maybe he didn't have think about where she could have gone during the incident, but think about WHY she HAD to be moved and still be alive.

"Maybe she didn't move on her own... but perhaps someone moved her before Doctor Alver came into the room," Phoenix claimed as he realized he need to think this through a little more so he started to go through the sequence of events one more time: Marinette and Louis went to the hospital in the morning for an appointment for something that wasn't an artificial insemination. When Marinette went in alone, Louis waited in the day care lobby for her until he decided to go find her himself. While Marinette was waiting for Doctor Alver, she got drugged, but why? After a moment, he finally settled with the fact that whoever drugged her didn't want Doctor Alver to get to her. Then, completely by coincidence, Louis encountered Chloe Bourgeois and Gabriel and Adrien Agreste. It is by that time that the sperm container was still there until Phoenix had proved the possibility that Gabriel could have moved it. Maya had mentioned that Gabriel would have had to have an accomplice in order to move the sperm container out and over to Marinette's room. However this would have been before Marinette got drugged since there would be no time to inseminate her since a murder was going to take place in that room. That accomplice... must have been Francine because the doctor that drugged Marinette and the doctor that killed Doctor Alver are the same person. This leaves Phoenix with two questions to prove: Was Gabriel that doctor that did both of these things? And if Doctor Alver wasn't there by the time Marinette woke up, then who inseminated her?

"You're saying someone moved her? Alright, then let's see your evidence to prove it," Mr. Payne challenged again as Phoenix thought about it a bit more before turning to Louis.

"Louis, do you remember seeing anything else before you opened the door? Like anything in the hall at that time? If Marinette was moved, if would have had to be just minutes before Doctor Alver as killed," Phoenix asked as Louis furrowed his brows in thought as he tried to remember how Marinette could have left before hand.

"Maybe check the security footage for a few minutes before I discovered the room, she must have been moved before then," Louis commented and that actually wasn't a bad suggestion. Phoenix looked through the security footage again and he could only find a clip of of two people wheeling someone on an emergency seat carrier down the hall to a room. However, something in this footage seemed strange, but then he realized the sequence of events that must have happened, and the timing was completely miraculous.

"I'd like to present these series of clips to the court as I explain what happened," Phoenix declared as the video clips appeared on the screens of the TV's in the courtroom, placed near the judge where all can see. As the clips rolled through, Phoenix explained everything in order, "After the doctor drugged Marinette, he loaded Marinette on to an emergency carrier to be wheeled to another room, and that is how she was moved, and you can tell it was her because in the video, the body that was on the carrier was completely covered except for her hair, but as you can see," Phoenix continued as the clip showed who the court could tell was two people wheeling someone down the hall, and he paused the video the video where they could see the head of the person they were wheeling, "The hair is a dark shade of blueberry, and only one person fits the bill and that is Marinette," Phoenix concluded that part of his theory, but then again, that was only PART of it, "However, when you go to an earlier time in the footage, you can see that Doctor Alver had entered the room before the doctor and Francine could get her out. Then, within the next couple of minutes, only those two exit the room and Doctor Alver doesn't." Phoenix finished with an conclusive ending note and he looked over at Marinette to find her gaping in horror.

"How could I let this happen... to myself? How did I let down my guard down like that?" Marinette sighed in disbelief as Louis leaned over to nestle his head in the crook of her shoulder. She needed some support because it turns out that day absolutely sucked for both of them. They both had been violated and traumatized as they were pawns of a nefarious scheme, but for what?

"How can you tell that those two in the footage are Francine and the other doctor? This footage never showed their faces! So you can't definitively say that they did this," Mr. Payne protested but Phoenix had a rebuttal to that, and this only frustrated Gabriel even more.

"Well, sure it never showed their faces, but the footage showed the doctor that was moving the carrier talked to Louis briefly before leaving. That doctor is the one that left Marinette's room, who we already proved is the one who murdered Doctor Alver," Phoenix replied, making Mr. Payne his teeth and clench his fists on the counter, but he did have one last counter as a final gambit. However, he knew it was going to have some consequences.

"So you proved that this doctor was the one that murdered Doctor Alver, but who is this doctor? Francine is the only one we have identified," Mr. Payne asked as Francine breathed a heavy sigh and looked over at Gabriel and knew that this time, it was truly over and she trusted Phoenix Wright to end it.

Phoenix thought about it for a moment to reaffirm his belief in his conclusion on who the "doctor" was. Who personally knew who Marinette was and would defile her to such a degree? Who would intentionally attempt to murder her son as well as another innocent victim in an attempt to cover his tracks? Who, COINCIDENTALLY, was at the hospital at the time who fit all of these conditions? Finally he looked over at Marinette and slowly nodded to her.

"Madame Dupain Cheng?" Phoenix asked as Marinette nodded back and replied.

"Yes... Mr. Wright?" Marinette asked hesitantly as the whole court felt silent all of a sudden. It was like they were waiting for the end of the trial, because they knew it was coming.

"Your struggle is about to come to an end... right here, right now," Phoenix said lowly and it sent shivers down her spine as she felt those words to her bones. Marinette could feel her lungs releasing from their constriction as those words rang true in her head. She believed he could do it, end the 15 long years of suffering that she had to go through. Now is the time.

Phoenix lifted his hand and he felt his fingers automatically move like a machine to point at the one he knew was responsible for this entire case. Maya saw him readying his pointer finger and gasped.

"Phoenix!" Maya whispered harshly as Phoenix narrowed his eyes at the one he wanted to 'Take That!' to , "are you sure? Do you know who it is?"

Phoenix nodded in response and readied his stance, "I'm sure..." Phoenix took a deep breath and then he announced what would be the claim that caused such an uproar, that it would change history for the Agreste's and what Paris would know forever. Even the orchestra knew what was coming as they played their "Cornered Theme":

"The defense would like to indict Gabriel Agreste of all charges of first degree murder and grand larceny by being the imposter doctor who committed this heinous crime!" Phoenix declared, pointing his finger at Gabriel and the movement was so fast, sharp, and strong that it created a strong whirlwind in the court, sending papers flying and sending the whole room ablaze with golden light. Everyone had to shield their eyes in order to continue seeing since the wind was so strong. Louis had one arm covering his eyes so he could see and his other holding on to the handrail of the stand because he was afraid he might actually get blown away since it was practically a mini hurricane.

"How is that even physically possible!? Just pointing his finger at someone caused this powerful of a draft?" Louis yelled over the wind as Marinette was too busy trying to block the wind to comment. Chloe coughed and sputtered as she looked around the courtroom to find it awash in golden light from what just happened.

"Seriously, like what is up with this courtroom? This lighting is totally ridiculous!" Chloe exclaimed as the wind finally died down and everyone could unblock their faces. Everyone looked towards who Phoenix had his finger pointed at: Gabriel, who stood to face this accusation.

"You dare accuse me?! The legendary fashion taste maker of Paris? So this is where this foolishness has gone?!" Gabriel roared with such a fury that it caused a commotion in the courtroom. Marinette could feel the fury rising in her as her shock soon melted into rage.

"Oh I'm accusing you! I proved the possibility earlier of how you could have moved the container, all I needed to prove is what situation was granted to you to move the container, and that was to set up a murder," Phoenix explained coolly with Marinette looking at Gabriel in disbelief, but she couldn't imagine what Adrien was feeling. His father was most likely involved in a murder in which she could have been killed along with Doctor Alver, or even worse, her son could have been killed.

"How do you explain how these two events are related? What ties the imposter doctor and Gabriel Agreste?" Mr. Payne challenged Phoenix again, but he was just digging his grave even further.

Gabriel grit his teeth as he felt like this prosecutor should just keep his mouth shut, "Monsieur Payne, I would highly advise you to keep your mouth shut because this man," Gabriel looked back and forth between Mr. Payne and Phoenix, "can probably answer that question for you."

"They're connected through Francine, who was the accomplice to Gabriel's actions. Gabriel came into contact with Louis in Chloe Bourgeois' room, and it was that moment when Gabriel knew that Marinette and Louis were coincidentally there as well. That was when the plan was set in motion. Remember that Chloe testified that he covered the hallway with the curtain so neither Chloe and Adrien could see what he was doing," Phoenix explained as he lifted Chloe's statement to the court to demonstrate what he meant, "Remember that this container ended up in Marinette's SECOND room when the detectives first investigated this case, so someone had to move it, and the only person who had the opportunity to move the container and know Marinette's room with the help of an accomplice was Gabriel." Phoenix looked over at Francine, who looked fearfully between Phoenix and Gabriel, and the latter looked so angry with his scowl that it could have burned right through anyone's soul. Phoenix then rounded on Gabriel and demanded answers from him, "Now Gabriel, given that you moved the container, you must have had a plan to do something with it, and what does it have to do with Marinette?"

"Wait! Ok! Ok... I admit it... I was Gabriel's accomplice in what he did almost 9 years ago," Francine confessed, trying to stop Phoenix from coaxing the rest of the truth from Gabriel, she could feel Gabriel's eyes burning in the back of her head, but surely he must have known that he had nowhere to run at this point, "Just please... know that Marinette is innocent and let it end there please!" Francine pleaded with Phoenix who acknowledged her confession but was still waiting for Gabriel's answer, "why! Why do you need to know the full truth?! It doesn't need to be revealed because you already proved that Marinette is innocent!"

Phoenix barely spared her a glance as he simply replied, "As representatives of the law, we must see this through to the end, no matter how ugly it is," Francine could only gape at him in disbelief.

"I won't relax until I know everything Gabriel has done... so I can put it behind me," Marinette agreed with Phoenix, as she stood up slowly from the defendant's seat and walked over to where Gabriel was sitting on the opposite side of the witness stand. Gabriel had a plan for that sperm container, and with a sinking heart, she thinks she knows what it is, "Gabriel answer me this... you planned to use the sperm to inseminate me didn't you? It wasn't an accident that the hospital made... you planned it." Marinette restrained herself as it took all of her strength not to completely snap at Gabriel. Her voice was a low, threatening growl that spoke volumes to how mad she was without her needing to yell or scream. After a few moments, Gabriel said nothing as he looked to the side to avoid her gaze, refusing comment, "So... I take your silence as your answer then..." Marinette's voice barely over a deadly whisper. Hugo and Emma couldn't believe this is how truth about their birth came to be. They didn't know how to feel or even react to this new revelation. Then, everyone snapped out of their stupor when they heard Marinette completely snap and scream at Gabriel. It was too sad to watch to be honest.

"GABRIEL ANSWER ME!! WHAT COULD POSSIBLY POSSESS YOU TO DERAIL MY LIFE LIKE THAT?! WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT FROM ME YOU SICK BASTARD!!! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO MY WORDS, MY BODY, OR MY DECISIONS!!! I WILL MAKE THAT CLEAR RIGHT NOW!!!" Marinette screamed as she slammed her hands on the wooden rail of his seat, actually making him flinch for the first time that anyone has seen. Phoenix and the crew could only watch in sympathy because they know how their trials usually end: with a betrayal everyone saw coming. The emotions feel new every time they find the truth to these cases, they could only imagine the rage and anguish Marinette must be feeling, "DO YOU HAVE NOTHING TO SAY FOR YOURSELF?! ANSWER ME GABRIEL!!" Marinette broke down into sobs as she couldn't believe that things turned out like this. Suddenly, she felt someone pull her away from the stand and hug her tight. She opened her eyes that were teary and red from anger to find her son hugging her reassuringly.

"Mom... that's enough... it's over," Louis whispered softly as Marinette reciprocated the hug by leaning her head against his and gripping his arm that was around her softly. Suddenly, they heard a few chuckles and laughs that came from Gabriel, and like a mad man, it turned into a crescendo of mad laughter as it only got louder in volume. Everyone bore witness to this madness as Gabriel, who had his head down slightly before, threw his head back and laughed while having his hands outstretched in that classic evil guy pose. Then, like out of thin air, the white and ecru suit that he was wearing before started turning a dark purple from the bottom up and his suit collar became more pointed and the tie he was wearing before turned into a lavender gem that crystal wing-like protrusions coming from it like a butterfly. His head was then enveloped by a silver mask and they could still see his piercing blue eyes. It was like he was completely changed man and was like some sort of villain in a cartoon show. Marinette and Louis slowly stepped back from the stand to process what just happened.

"Oh jeez, is this guy another one of those weirdos who completely snap and transform into some sort of 'final form' when we finally got them cornered?" Maya sighed as Phoenix looked at her knowingly as this didn't really come as a surprise. Meanwhile, Hugo and Emma had a completely different reaction to this new "transformation."

"Wait a minute... doesn't he look like the villain from the show that we watch? Miraculous Ladybug?" Hugo examined Gabriel's outfit further to find that it was strikingly similar to another outfit that he knows from a show. Emma could see it too and she couldn't help but laugh, but still be amazed.

"Oh my god, do you know what this means? Gabriel watches Miraculous Ladybug! There's no way that's a coincidence! He's wearing Hawkmoth's outfit!" Emma exclaimed as Adrien could only laugh at their comments, leave it to them to find the positive in this situation, even if it was getting crazier by the minute.

"So? For a god knows how old man who just transformed into a villain from a dare I say, kid's show, is this your 'final form?' How nerdy do you have to be?" Louis positioned himself so he was in front of his mom and held his hand out to protect her.

"You and your siblings are my curse!" Gabriel declared as he whipped out a staff out of nowhere and firmly planted it into the ground.

"Oh my god even the weapon is the same!" Hugo wheezed as Emma tried to help him recover from his laughter-induced asthma, but she couldn't help but laugh too, "it's the same purple staff with the orb thing on top. This is hilarious... AHA!" Adrien smiles softly at his son while used his arm to pull Hugo into his side to hug him. Emma joined in later by leaning into his arm.

"If only I hadn't known or seen how much you and Adrien were in love, then maybe I wouldn't have been so obsessed and desperate to stop it!" Gabriel forced out of his mouth as if he was wounded or something. Marinette then moved forward ahead of Louis so she could listen to what Gabriel or Hawkmoth or whoever he was had to say, "it was so similar... to how Emilie and I fell in love and had Adrien. I lost her only years later when her heart condition silenced her forever, and she never woke again..." Marinette listened silently as Gabriel explained without a hint of sadness, but with malice and loathing, "I didn't want Adrien to make the same mistake to fall in love the way he did, because it will only end in a tragedy!" Gabriel roared as glowing white butterflies appeared out of thin air, and they seemed to multiply whenever he makes outbursts like that.

"And what did you think that accomplished?" Marinette asked, but wasn't really expecting an answer, "Nothing, absolutely nothing. You only hurt your son, me, and his kids. You realized that the day where I would return was coming because Louis and Adrien were of age to finally meet, and so you planned to inseminate me on purpose to use Hugo and Emma as leverage to keep me away. How? How do I even respond to that?" Marinette sighed shakily, she could still feel the rage swirling within her. This is what it has come to, and in the end, people still get hurt for not particular reason. Louis then walked forward to scrutinize Gabriel for what he was and his actions.

"You have no business acting like the lives of others are yours to decide on a whim, and this is your punishment..." Louis said through clenched teeth. There was no fathoming the depths of his hatred for this man, who had made three attempts on his life. It was time, once and for all, to bury those memories away where he wouldn't have to remember them again, "I'm not scared of you anymore, I'm just fucking sick of you." Gabriel and him had a stare down for a few moments before he said something that shocked Louis because he didn't think he would remember.

"Now I see why she wanted to save you so desperately... from the darkness..." Gabriel murmured so only he could hear. Louis knew exactly what he was talking about: Emilie.

"So you remember that then?" Louis replied back softly as Gabriel proceeded to explain.

"I don't know how I got there, but she was determined to save you. Said that you had so much life to live and more importantly, she said that Adrien needed you in his life as much as you needed Adrien in your life. I don't remember what happened after that because it seemed as if everything faded away into nothingness, her conscience and her memory faded away into nothingness," Gabriel reminisced as he tried his best to remember the fleeting memories of his wife, the love of his life. Louis could understand what Emilie meant, he only wished she could have been here to see the end.

"My mom's life... my life... my siblings' lives... and my dad's life, we're all looking towards the future and want to appreciate life as it goes as a family. It's only you who can't let go of the past, and I'm sorry that you can't, because now it's over," Louis breathed in a shuddering breath before calmly letting it go, feeling the weight of everything slowly leave him, "and you've been left behind..." Louis took a few steps back before returning to his seat with his mom and the court had to gather its bearings before continuing.

"Your Honor?" Gabriel asked as he magically turned back into his normal self. The judge looked at him curiously and nodded at him to continue, "I confess, I was the one who drugged Madame Dupain Cheng and attempted to murder Doctor Alver and Louis Agreste. I also admit to planning Madame Dupain Cheng's artificial insemination mixup as well." The whole court gasped, hearing his confession for the first time. Adrien could only look on at his father in anguish and shame, to think that it's come to this between them.

"I see, your other crimes will be decided at another date," The judge replied, receiving a nod from Gabriel before turning to Francine, "Madame Mendeleev, since you were an accomplice to Mr. Agreste's crimes 8 years ago, your crimes will also be decided at a later date."

Francine nodded and smiled, "I understand Your Honor, and Marinette?" Francine turned so she could face Marinette, who stood up to meet her, "I'm truly sorry for everything..." Marinette nodded to her in acknowledgement, "I only went along with Gabriel's plan because he found out my history as a nurse, and I wanted to protect it at all costs..."

"Did something happen when you were a nurse that Gabriel found out?" Marinette asked, and it took a moment for Francine to figure out how to properly respond to that. However, now was the time to come clean.

"Well, since we are airing our grievances... a long time ago when I used to work at another hospital, I was greatly stressed and scrutinized by my overbearing sister, who I think was your teacher in high school , and my parents. Working as a nurse at a hospital is hard enough, and something had to give when I tried to handle both pressures as once. One day as I was tending to my patients, I accidentally mixed up the medications for my patients, and because of my mistake, 16 people died because of that malpractice incident, and it had been weighing on me for years... and I could never forgive myself," Francine explained as Marinette gasped and held a hand over her mouth to disguise her shock. Marinette could surmise from there that Gabriel found out about it and used it as blackmail to get her to help him in this case, "Again... I truly am sorry..."

"Huh... Nick, doesn't that story kinda sound familiar?" Maya noted as Phoenix looked up slightly in the upper right corner as if he was trying to remember. It did sound really familiar, but he couldn't quite place where it was from.

"Yeah... it does sound really familiar, it must have been a story from years ago if neither of us can remember where it was from," Phoenix replied, thinking that the story was from one of his cases any years ago, but he just couldn't pinpoint which one," Save the thought for another day then..."

Marinette sighed and gave her a gracious smile," It's ok Francine, I accept your apology." The judge got their attention by clearing his voice and then he continued the proceedings.

"Well then! This calls for a verdict, Marinette Dupain Cheng, you are declared NOT GUILTY!!" The judge announced as a few small explosions could be heard in the air and confetti started to rain down on the court. The judge smiled as he saw an unbelievable smile break out over Marinette's face, he was glad that Marinette was innocent, "Court is adjourned!"

Marinette couldn't believe her ears, it's really over, "I'm... not guilty..." she said breathlessly, unable to contain her joy and excitement, "I'm... NOT GUILTY!!" Marinette exclaimed as she felt herself crying out of joy. She turned to Louis, who had the biggest smile on his face as they both said it together.

"I'm not guilty!"

"You're not guilty!"

Marinette laughed through her tears and hugged her son tight and he reciprocated the same enthusiasm. However, the moment was dulled for her when she realized what her son had went through all in an attempt to find her. She pulled away from him slightly to cup his face and sighed softly as he sported an expression of confusion, "Louis I am so sorry for letting you suffer all these years... and I never noticed how much you were suffering. I always knew that you and I have always been at the forefront at resisting Gabriel... but why didn't you tell me?" Marinette asked softly as Louis sighed and looked down slightly in shame.

"I was scared... I was only 6 at the time, and I couldn't find the words to describe what happened. I meant to tell you eventually but days turned into weeks and into months, and eventually years. I just never got the chance to tell you, and I'm sorry," Louis whispered with it ending on a sob as Marinette carefully wiped away the tears that were forming in his eyes.

"It's ok Louis, it's over now, you have nothing to worry about now," Marinette leaned in to hug him again to reaffirm her belief that everything is over now. She couldn't help but cry as well, but she was still smiling because they were joyful tears. When she pulled away again, Louis wore his million dollar smile again because nothing could express how happy he was for the both of them. After they let go of each other, Marinette was immediately tackled by Chloe, who squealed in delight as she hugged Marinette tight.

"Woah Chloe! You're that happy I'm innocent?" Marinette joked as Chloe huffed and flipped her hair. It can be so hard to be happy for this girl sometimes when she jokes like that.

"Utterly ridiculous of you to ask that. Of course I'm happy that you're innocent, since it's thanks to me you managed to get off scot free," Chloe blew on her nails as if it was a job well done by her. Marinette couldn't help but smile in response, she just found the statement so amusing.

"It really is thanks to you, a long time ago I never would have imagined that you would help me in this manner, and now... I'm glad to have a friend like you," Marinette held her hands with Chloe's and she could have sworn she saw tears in Chloe's eyes, but that suspicion was quickly expunged.

"Don't get all sappy on me, I'm simply paying what I owe you," Chloe laughed as Marinette's face fell a little but Chloe then quickly explained, "you didn't deserve any of this, and believe it or not, you've done a lot for me, enough that I would actually associate myself with someone other than Sabrina and Adrien. But I was also paying you back for the letter," Marinette gasped slightly as she remembered the letters that she left behind when she disappeared. That seems like so long ago that she had written those, she almost forgotten what she wrote in them, "You told me to take care of Adrien when you were gone, and even though I technically did a bad job with this whole insemination situation being partly my fault, I just wanted to pay you back because it wasn't fair to you. He was always waiting for you, and now you're finally free!" Chloe exclaimed as she hugged Marinette again and Marinette laughed and cried at her explanation.

"Thank you Chloe, for everything!" Marinette said as she pulled away from Chloe and looked past her to find Alya, Nino, and all of her old classmates there waiting for her.

"MA GURL IS FREE!!!!!! Halleulujah!" Alya laughed as they both ran into to hug each other. When they finally pulled away, Alya had something she wanted to say to her too, "you did so well to make it through this trial. I felt like I was literally on edge the entire time, and I felt like crying the entire time." Alya said as she tried to wipe away the tears from her eyes, but she was just too emotional. Marinette smiled endearingly at her best friend as she noticed Nino popping out behind Alya and laughing.

"It's true dudette, she was losing it the entire time. She cried like twice," Nino held two fingers up in a peace sign as both Marinette and Nino snickered at the prospect of Alya crying. Then Nino was promptly smacked in the arm by his wife, who glared at him playfully, "Owww, anyway, I'm really glad that everything turned out well for everyone. I honestly don't know what I would have done if Gabriel tried to pull something else." Marinette scoffed and smirked at him knowingly.

"Thanks Nino, truly, you and Alya have helped bring my life back to what it was like before I left, and I cannot thank you two enough for making that happen," Marinette smiled brightly as she brought her two friends in for a hug, who practically swallowed her in the hug. She was so glad to have friends like them, who looked out for her and wanted all the best for her. She heard sniffling as she let go of them, seeing Alya wipe her tears away again. She looked past them to all of her classmates and friends who were waiting for her and walked up to them while drying off her tears.

"I'm so happy for you Marinette!" Rose exclaimed and Juleka added on.

"You did it Marinette, and it was awesome when that lawyer delivered the final blow," Juleka chimed in with her usual emo-like drawl.

"There was an absolute 100% chance that you would come out of this innocent, I had no doubts," Max proudly said while pushing his glasses and Marinete couldn't help but laugh at his comment.

"I knew someone like you could pull it off Marinette, your son and you have come a long way, and it paid off!" Kim declared, raising his arm in a fist as if Marinette physically worked her way to being innocent. Marinette heard Louis come up behind her and chuckle at his comment.

"This entire trial was intense, and it was an absolute show to watch," Alix laughed as Marinette and Louis raised an eyebrow at her comment, since it insinuated that she enjoyed watching Marinette getting tried for murder, "I mean, everything turned out fine, and it was one hell of a ride to get here. So good on you!" Alix nervously laughed as Marinette and Louis knew what she meant and laughed with her, dispelling her nervousness.

"Oh I am just so glad for you Marinette, Ivan and I knew everything would turn out alright! And it's been a pleasure to see you again," Mylene squealed as Ivan nodded and gave Marinette a thumbs up.

"I absolutely knew everything would turn out ok, it was just really surprising to hear about what happened. The mood in the room was a total cacophony of sounds and emotions," Luka patted Marinette on the shoulder and then brought his hand up to his mouth to ponder what kinda song the whole trial would be like. Marinette then spotted Kagami, who was actually smiling for once.

"It's good this is how it ended Marinette, you've come a long way and to decide it here was the safest and best course of action. You're finally free," Kagami hugged Marinette briefly, who returned it before letting go and looked around for a specific blondie. Then, Marinette spotted something blond out of the corner of her eye and when she turned slightly to see what it was, everyone stepped out of the way to reveal Adrien smiling widely at her with Hugo and Emma by his side. Slowly, Marinette walked towards him and called out to him.

"Adrien! Did you hear? I'm not guilty!" Marinette called out excitedly as she saw Adrien look adoringly at her and call right back at her.

"Loud and clear Mari..." Adrien called right back, and they both saw each other tearing up because this was so emotional for the both of them. The light that shined down from the ceiling illuminated them in a heavenly light, making them both look exalted in the light, just like angels. This time, they faced each other with an open heart and a free feeling that was absolutely infectious.

"It's over Adrien... this whole nightmare... is finally at an end!" Marinette started crying again because there was no fathoming how much emotion she was feeling over the end of a long standing nightmare of her. Adrien couldn't help but smirk at her for being so emotional but in all honesty, he was beyond elated for her.

"I know, now come over here and give me a hug!" Adrien smiled wide and held out his arms wide, gesturing her to come over. Marinette tried to wipe the tears away, but she eventually just gave up and ran over to him, wrapping her arms around him and snuggling her head into his shoulder. He leaned down to snuggle into her shoulder and after a bit, he whispered into her ear.

"I love you Mari..." Adrien whispered softly as he pulled away slightly to see a big smile on her face. What he would give to see that smile every day, and it was just for him.

"I love you too Adrien, now and always," Marinette wiped a tear away from her eye, but her words rang true in his ears and he couldn't help but lean down to capture her lips with his. Initially surprised, she happily returned the kiss and he filled it with as much passion as he could to show her how much he loved her. She wrapped her arms further around his shoulders and he happily picked her up so they could deepen the kiss. Hugo and Emma ran over to Louis to hug him in a simultaneous tackle before they turned back to watch their parents. Louis had this dopey, relieved smile that he couldn't get off his face because he knew that things were going to get better from here on out. Marinette gave one last kiss to Adrien before pulling away to hug him again and he happily twirled her around, making them both laugh. When they pulled away, Phoenix, Maya, and Athena walked up to the family with big smiles.

"Congratulations Marinette! I hope things calm down for you soon, you deserve it!" Maya bowed to Marinette graciously, who reciprocated the gesture.

"Congratulations Marinette! And Louis you too, I hope it wasn't too difficult to deal with my therapy techniques, it can be a bit traumatic at times," Athena played with her golden crescent moon earring while smiling nervously. Louis shook his head and held out his hand.

"No, it was what I needed to finally get over my fear of the past. Even though it may still haunt me now, but I know that it won't bother me anymore knowing that Gabriel is gone. So thank you for that," Louis explained, holding his hand for Athena to take and they shook hands in thanks.

"Congratulations to you both, I'd like to thank you for your cooperation because I know it was difficult for both of you to talk about the past. But thank you for holding out for me, because it gave me the info I needed to save you both," Phoenix congratulated Marinette and Louis in earnest and they both took his hands and shook it.

"Thank you Phoenix for doing everything you could to save our lives. I don't how we would have managed it without you. You were absolutely amazing and it was a pleasure meeting you," Marinette thanked Phoenix, who bashfully accepted the compliments, but it was comedically interrupted by Maya, who made his embarrassment worse .

"Oh please, you think he's cool? In most of his other cases, he's mostly had to bluff his way to the truth and it manages to always work. Even in this trial, he had to bluff it a bit in order to get somewhere," Maya joked as Louis accidentally let out a guffaw that caused a domino chain of laughter to erupt among everyone except for Phoenix.

"Oh come on Maya! Can't you let me have just one?!" Phoenix exclaimed as he shook his head and laughed along with everyone else. It was another case closed and it was the beginning of a new dawn for the Agreste Family. One that would lead to a happy future for the long lost couple, who were reunited again.

Everyone else left for the day after saying their goodbyes to Marinette and the family. Soon it was just Marinette, Adrien, Louis, Hugo, Emma, Nino, Alya, Chloé, and Phoenix and his team. As they walked down the stairs of the courthouse back to the main entrance, there was someone waiting for them there. As Marinette walked down the stairs, she came face to face with a familiar figure that she hadn't seen in a while.

"Nathalie... it's been a while," Marinette called out softly as the woman nodded to acknowledge her.

"Yes it certainly has Madame Dupain Cheng, I just wanted to congratulate you, Adrien, and your lawyer a job well done," Marinette noticed that she was smiling the tiniest bit, and even that spoke volumes to her.

"I wanted to thank you Nathalie, for looking out for me in these last 15 years in which I was exiled. Even though you didn't show it, I knew that you didn't agree with that Gabriel was doing either. I just wanted to thank you for doing everything you could," Marinette folded her hands in front of her, trying to see how Nathalie would react to her thanks. Nathalie smiled graciously as she turned to Louis to address him.

"Louis, I wanted to say this for a while, but I wanted to commend you for what you did during that fateful recital a few months ago," Nathalie praised Louis, who remembered what she was talking about, it was a recital he wanted to remember forever but in truth he wanted to erase it from his memory, "it takes a lot of strength to stand up to Gabriel, and even more to expose his plan in the middle of the recital."

Louis thought about what he did back then, and remembered that if he had stopped playing the song, then his family would be sniped within the recital hall. He wondered why that never happened, but then he figured out the reason why, "You stopped the snipers didn't you? That's why they didn't shoot us back then?" The whole group looked shocked as they looked at Nathalie even though Phoenix had no idea what they were talking about. He had known about Gabriel's attack on the recital hall when he did research on his past crimes, but he didn't know the full story.

"Wait snipers?" Phoenix wondered aloud as Louis briefly explained.

"It was a long story, Gabriel threatened to snipe my family within the recital hall if I didn't finish the song I was playing, which would activate a bomb to blow up the whole room," Louis explained as Phoenix wondered how Louis could explain that so plainly because that's completely nuts.

"You stopped the snipers Nathalie? But why?" Adrien asked as Nathalie sighed and clutched her tablet tighter in her arm.

"I for one, enjoyed the performance you and Louis put on for the audience. It was truly moving and heartwarming, and I knew that you were finding your own happiness. You deserve to find your own happiness, and that's why I had to do something. It's what your mom would want," Nathalie's voice shook slightly with emotion as Adrien understood her intentions. Adrien stepped forward to hug Nathalie, who was surprised by the gesture at first, but then gingerly wrapped her arms around him. After a moment, they pulled away as Adrien stepped back to put his arm around Marinette.

"Thank you Nathalie, I finally found my own happiness now. Don't worry about a thing," Adrien smiled wide making Nathalie appreciate the whole picture of Adrien, the love of his life, and his family. They all looked wonderful.

"I know... well, I wish you both the best, and please keep in touch. Marinette, please take care of him for me," Nathalie turned around to leave and she heard Marinette call out to answer her.

"We will! And I promise Nathalie that Adrien is in good hands!" Marinette called out and Nathalie responded by extending her hand out in a wave before leaving the building. She then sighed and leaned into Adrien, "it's over Adrien... 15 long years... I'm sorry I took so long," Marinette continued to stare at the entrance and felt tears prick at the edges of her eyes. Adrien looked down at her and smiled softly at her.

"What matters is that you came back to me, and opened my eyes to a family," Adrien looked over at Louis, Hugo, and Emma, who all in unison looked over at their parents with bright smiling faces, "I kept my promise to you... so thank you for waiting for me." Adrien leaned his head on top of hers and then the group heard a series of footsteps coming down the left hall and they all looked to find police officers leading Gabriel out in handcuffs. Soon the the group came within seeing range and they stopped so Gabriel could say anything to them if he wanted to.

"Adrien..." Gabriel started but didn't continue.

"Father..." Adrien replied back, but didn't say anything else. Marinette looked fearfully between the two because they haven't gotten the chance to speak to each other yet. However, now's the time to make peace and be done with the nightmare, "I'm sorry that it had to come to this... but you hurt the people I love and now I can't trust you... I'm making sure that all the accomplices that you have that did your dirty work be investigated so you won't hurt anyone else ever again."Gabriel then looked down as if he was ashamed and then he finally spoke again.

"See to it that you don't make the same mistake that I did, farewell Adrien," Gabriel nodded to Adrien and then to Marinette before leaving with the police officers, the sounds of their footsteps fading out of the door. Marinette released the breath she was holding and left Adrien's side to walk forward a few steps to stare at the entrance where Nathalie and Gabriel left.

"I'd like to think that this is the only way it could have ended... because the alternate ending would have ended up with us being dead..." Marinette's eyes fell a little bit but her heart still remained strong and faithful, she can't afford to be sad, "But this is for the best..." All of them stood in silence at her words until Maya suddenly broke the ice.

"Alright this is getting a little depressing, you're free now Marinette! The only thing you can do now is celebrate! Nick, get your wallet! You're treating us to dinner!" Maya exclaimed as she took Marinette's hand to pull her along with a yelp as Phoenix chased after them. Adrien, Louis, and the others couldn't help but laugh and come along for the prospect of a nice celebration dinner after everything that has happened.

"Maya! That's not fair! Why do I have to treat everyone to dinner!" Phoenix called out after them, frustrated yet strangely happy that this sort of thing is happening again.

"I actually could go for some food right now.. thanks Maya!"

"You know there's this really good burger place on the Champs Elysees, shall we go?"

"Of course let's go!"

"Wait, I'm not paying for this right? Because that would be utterly ridiculous!"

"Hey, can I take a picture of all of us from my blog when we get there? I want to celebrate my best friend returning to us for real this time!"

"Oooooh burgers, I can't wait! Hugo pick up the pace!"

"Yeah I know Emm, I'm coming..."

"Hey you two... let's go together... and enjoy ourselves for once."

"Yeah!"

The talking and the laughter were a beautiful backdrop for the sunset of a dark time and the dawn of a new beginning. Marinette could finally close the past behind her and walk forward once more with Adrien and their beloved children by her side.

Author's Note: Oh MY GOD! This is finally done... 15,469 words included the note I included at the beginning. I think this is the longest chapter I have ever written and I was really surprised this went on for so long. Anyway, school's out and summer's here so I hope I can update more consistently as this story only has a few planned chapters left. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the collaboration between Miraculous Ladybug and Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney. This was an absolute joy to write. The next chapter's name is E Pluribus Unum: Out of Many, One. So watch out for that and it will thankfully not be as long as this one. Stay safe and stay healthy! Even with the world getting rather worse for the wear. I hope you enjoyed the journey of all the characters up until this point, and stick with me for the ending.


	31. Chapter29:EPluribusUnum

Author's Note: Hey guys SnivyLord here! I am so sorry for this chapter taking such a long time. I've been extremely busy and this chapter... certainly went on a lot longer than I thought it would. Anyway, this story is nearing its end and I am so proud to write and think up of this fanfic. I hope you're excited for the end as everything draws to a close. So please enjoy this chapter and I'll have this up on as well! See ya guys!

With Gabriel Agreste's arrest and the investigation on him underway, Marinette truly felt alive again. In the following days after the trial, it really felt like she saw the world in a new light again. However, today was different, and her family had a certain affair to take care of. Marinette rubbed the sleep out of her eyes as she heaved herself up to see her room, illuminated by the light through the curtains, creating gray and black tones all over the furniture. Marinette sighed as she got herself out of bed to brush her teeth and take a shower, all in silence. She then slipped on her black slim dress, smoothing it out to fit her curves. She then put on her black overcoat and grabbed the black rose accessory that she had prepared and tucked it in her ear along with her hair. She brushed her hair so it flowed over her left shoulder, and then she put on some light makeup. After that, she grabbed her purse and headed out to find the rest of her family waiting for her in matching black outfits. Louis and Hugo were wearing matching black suits with a white dress shirt underneath and a complementary black tie. Emma was wearing a black frilly dress that reached below her knees. She had a braid crown and allowed the rest of her hair to flow out to the back and she swore a black lily accessory to tie the two braids together in the back. Adrien wore a black turtleneck sweater with a long black overcoat over it and black slacks.

"Mari, you ready to go?" Adrien asked softly as Marinette nodded and grabbed a hold of his hand.

"Mmhmm, let's go," Marinette replied as Adrien opened the door and the kids followed them out to the car as they drove to their destination. Louis looked out the window and saw that storm clouds were gathering. Adrien looked out the window too and decided to comment.

"It looks like rain today..." Adrien murmured as Marinette decided to add on to that.

"Well... there's always rain at these types of events..." Marinette sighed as Adrien looked over at her and leaned over slightly to talk to her.

"Are you ok Mari?" Adrien asked as he noticed she turned to him in surprise to say something something, but she closed her mouth before she could say anything. Then she decided to speak.

"Adrien, I should be asking you that, after all we're heading to... you know..." Marinette gyrated her wrist in a gesture to get her to keep going, but she couldn't find the words. Adrien smiled softly and nodded graciously towards her.

"It's fine, let's just go shall we?" Adrien ended the conversation quickly, making Marinette keep her worried gaze on him a little longer than necessary. However, she turned back to look straight ahead, lazily staring at the clouds. Louis in the backseat did the same; he watched the clouds go by and when he looked at the scenery, he noticed the buildings go by and turn into forest and then into countryside. Then, it just became that natural pattern of forest and countryside scenery until they reached their destination. They reached what would have been a shimmering lake if it weren't for the clouds. The lake had a big hill near it with a large tree gracing the hilltop. That's where our family was headed today. Adrien remembered this place, his mother used to bring him here to gaze at the scenery all the time. They'd play, count the ducks and geese, and sometimes if they were silent enough, they'd see deer. It was her favorite place to bring him when he was little, it's only fitting her funeral would take place here. A giant arch graced with black stain and roses awaited them and their friends were waiting as well. The family approached Alya, Nino, Chloe, and Luka with their respective families. Gavin and Elena came forward to greet them first.

"Hello Auntie Mari and Uncle Adrien, we're glad you could make it," Gavin greeted awkwardly as Louis gave him a small smile. Elena bounded up next to him and immediately turned her attention to Louis.

"Louis, how are you feeling? I know it's been tough and we were so afraid for you. We didn't get to talk during the trial so," Elena went on as Louis chuckled slightly before coming forward to hug her. Elena gasped in shock before hugging him fiercely before prompting letting go.

"I've been fine, I just wish this feeling would go away, it's like a foreboding feeling," Louis explained, making Gavin and Elena nod in understanding, a somber wind blowing between all of them. Everyone was dressed in black and Alya motioned everyone to come in.

"Alright, follow me you guys, I saved you some seats at the front... even though they're technically already assigned," Alya tried to break the ice and only getting courtesy smiles as the most of the intended guests weren't here yet. The families took their places in the seats and looked at Emilie's display. Her picture was surrounded by a wonderful assortment of white lilies and multi-colored hydrangeas. Behind the display was the makeshift altar that housed the coffin, open for all to see. Emilie's body had been supposedly decaying for months ever since the family woke up in the hospital months ago. However, what was strange was that her body looked completely preserved and untouched, like an angel. Adrien wasn't really surprised, because he knew that not even biology could rot away Emilie's legacy and her love for all things. Eventually the seats started to fill out as each friend and family at a time came up to Adrien's family and offered their condolences, which he politely accepted. Then, it was time to begin, and Nathalie, who volunteered to start off the funeral, came up to the front and began.

" Morning everyone, please stand as today, we are here to celebrate the life of a woman, whose love and passion knew no bounds. Today, we are here to mourn the passing of Emilie Agreste, a kindred soul who saw beauty in all things," Nathalie spoke with such raw emotion, which Marinette thought was a first for her if she was gonna be honest. Everyone rose up to their feet and Adrien could only look on at his mother's coffin with remorse and despair, "She was an actress who brightened the lives of everyone around her on every movie she's been in, but she also fought for what was the true representation of women in the acting industry everywhere... she was an inspiration not only to her friends, but also to her family: Gabriel and Adrien Agreste. We are so glad to have Adrien here today to deliver her to a better place as Gabriel unfortunately can't be here as he has a prior engagement." Everyone looked at each in confusion with the last sentence and Louis could only smile awkwardly and cough because that last sentence was the understatement of the century. Adrien noticed as well and could only lay his hand on his son's shoulder in understanding as he tried to cough the awkwardness away. Nathalie then turned her attention to Adrien and beckoned to come up.

"Adrien, would you like to say something?" Nathalie offered as Adrien smiled gratefully and stood up to take the mic from her. Nathalie then went to go back in her seat near the family and Adrien turned to face all his friends, family, and Emilie's old friends.

"My mom... was a hero to me. She was absolutely the best mom I could ever ask for. She recorded everything I ever did in my childhood, and she and my father were there for all of my firsts and accomplishments. After she fell into a vegetative state, my family... started to fall apart. She was the glue, and she was happy to take me anywhere. I used to visit her everyday... and I'd talk to her and tell her about my day. I remember having such a bad feeling the day she died... I wasn't there in her last moments and that is something I will regret for the rest of my life," Adrien went on as he felt his voice breaking and he was the verge of tears just talking about her, "I will always thank her for what she gave me: a life and my kids because she saved them from sleeping forever aka dying. My daughter... Emma," Adrien looked at Emma, who was on her twentieth tissue and blowing into her nose; Hugo had to rub and pat her back to sooth her sniffling, "She saved her when my daughter was so afraid and lonely, afraid that her family would leave her behind forever. My mom taught her that family will always come back for you and will be there for you. Even if I couldn't see her in real life in her last moments, I was so glad I got to say goodbye in that last dream. My mom also helped my son Louis when he was about to die," Adrien gestures to Louis, who smiled warmly back at his dad and wiped a tear away from his eye, "Louis was convinced he was going to die regretting everything but my mom helped him realize that he has a future outside the darkness of my father's reach. And I am so proud of her and Louis for just everything," Adrien wiped a few tears away from his eyes as everyone watched on in sympathy and understanding, "You touched so many lives Mom, and I only wish you could have seen what your light had brought. Thank you to everyone for being able to come today. It really means the world to me," Adrien smiles gratefully as he stepped down from the podium and went back to his seat. He immediately felt a warm hand grab his and he looked to his left to find Marinette looking emphatically at him. Adrien smiled softly at her, firmly clutching her hand in an act of reassurance and leaned in to kiss her hair.

"That was a beautiful speech Adrien, your mom would be touched," Marinette whispered as Nathalie came again and delivered the rest of the starting sentiments. Then after that, the guests were allowed to speak to each other and visit Emilie's casket to mourn before they continue the funeral.

"You know, this is my first time at a funeral and it's so... sad..." Emma noted as she grimaced at some of the guests who were sniffling and crying in front of the casket. Hugo rolled his eyes at her because that kind of observation should be obvious.

"Well, what did you expect? We're at a funeral, our grandmother is dead, what's there to be happy about?" Hugo admonished her as she pouted and slapped his arm lightly.

"Hey, I was only making an observation!" Emma exclaimed as her eyes fell slightly, looking at the other funeral onlookers who were crying, sniffling, sobbing, or all three at once. It was hard to explain why she felt this way, but she was going to try to explain anyway, "But when I really think about it... I don't know how to feel about any of this, someone close to us died and she was our grand mère too," Emma looked at Louis and Hugo, gesturing to them, "I should be sad or anguished or angry! But I just feel empty..." Emma sighed, taking in a deep breath and closing her eyes to let her words sink in. She did feel empty, but the tears just wouldn't come, and she could only blame herself. Adrien looked at her empathetically because he understood what she was talking about.

"I understand Emma, you've never met her in real life, so you don't exactly know her personally. I really wish you could have met her, I think you two would get along just fine. Just like kindred spirits," Adrien wrapped a comforting arm around her and murmured into her hair and Emma couldn't help but lean into his touch. It felt warm and comforting, just like a father's support should be. In that instant, she felt better about her lack of a connection to her grandma, but the prospect of meeting Emilie and seeing just how much of kindred spirits they could be made her sad.

"I had a really long talk with her in my dream...and from her, I felt an overflowing desire of generosity, all she wanted was to help me, and I repaid her by letting her get caught by Gabriel," Louis furrowed his brows in contemplation, thinking about how he got thrown in the dark waters when he tried to save Emilie made him think about having the strength to save others. Perhaps it was by his failure to save her that she ended dying when they woke up, but he hoped that wasn't the case. Although at the same time, it only seemed natural to blame himself for what happened because that place... that lonely, desolate place was an abyss where your soul would sink into the darkness and you wouldn't be able to feel anything ever again. Louis surmised that after he disappeared into the waters, Emilie must have consigned herself to her fate there. Thinking about that possibility only made him feel worse.

"Louis sweetie, whether you think it was your fault or not, Emilie wanted to help you first and foremost, and she wouldn't blame you for what happened to her, either leaving her there at that place to face Gabriel alone or dying. That's what I believe," Marinette leaned forward so she could get a look at her son's face, who turned slightly to meet her eyes. She could see the regret and anguish in his eyes, and she reached out to cup his face to rub his cheek endearingly. Louis felt himself smile back to her gesture, but she knew it was only a sad smile, "Louis, you can't be ashamed of living because someone else sacrificed their life for it, think of it as an insult to them and their sacrifice. Please?" Marinette explained as Louis nodded and she smiled back at him.

"Mmhmm..." Louis' smile grew a bit wider as he nodded back and Marinette leaned back up to sit upright again.

"Ok, well, I think it's time we visit her one last time, to pay our respects," Marinette sighed as the rest of her family nodded and stood up with her to line up with everyone else. Nathalie made it so only one person at a time can pay their respects to Emilie's casket so everyone made a long line from the casket to the beginning of the aisle. Adrien was up first. He had a white lily in hand as he walked up to the casket and gazed over the silent form of his mother. She looked so beautiful when she laid still like that, a small smile gracing her lips. Looking at her for the last time dug up so many obscure memories from the recesses of his mind. Memories of playing with her when he was little, games like hide and seek and eye spy. He remembered that she always took him to the park in the fall to watch the leaves turn brown and fall. It was such a magical sight he remembered, all the red, orange, yellow, and brown leaves falling in a dance to the floor. He also remembered the first time his family went to the beach, he remembered that he wanted to create a sand version of the Agreste mansion, but his mom told that building a giant sand castle would be a lot more fun, and truth be told, it was. He followed his mom's guidance and brought her grace and kindness to others throughout all of his life. He always followed her example as his own life motto in the world and now, he has to move on without her. He no longer has any parent to return to or see anymore and even though he his a grown adult now, the fact still hurts.

"Mom... I hope I can do you proud... and forgive me for not being able to stop Father sooner... I hope you know that you aren't to blame for any of his actions, he can only blame himself. Please rest in peace Mom..." Adrien murmured to her, hoping that she could hear his prayer this time... for the last time, "Goodbye..." Adrien reached out to caress her cheek slightly before leaving his rose at the altar and heading back to his seat. Marinette was next. As she walked up to the casket, she felt a strange feeling come over her as she arrived. Then, she let out a big yawn that she immediately covered, but it didn't go unnoticed by her family and her friends.

"Maman? Did you just yawn? In front of Emilie? Really?" Louis leaned over to the right a bit to catch the look on his mom's face, who looked like a deer caught in the headlights. Marinette was quick to cover it up though.

"NO! No!" Marinette stammered as she didn't turn around because she knew that Louis would immediately catch the guilt look on her face. Even Hugo and Emma looked appalled at their own mother, "I think that was the howl of the wind don't you think?" Marinette tried to explain but she was cut off by Alya, who was admiring the eulogy transcripts off to the side.

"There's like no wind," Alya snickered as Marinette growled back at her.

"Alya, I'm trying to save face here, can't you cut me a bit of slack?" Marinette whispered harshly through grit teeth.

"Maman, you totally yawned, but I understand, it's like 9 in the morning, you hardly wake up this early... ever," Louis raised an eyebrow at her accusingly and Marinette could hear her other two children snickering in the background.

"Oh I am so glad that I single-handedly raised the three of you just to make fun of me," Marinette sarcastically chided the three of them, which shut them up because it was more of a guilt thing than anything. Marinette turned back to the casket and thought of the things she wanted to say. She had never met Emilie much back when she was a teenager since Emilie had already been incapacitated before then. She had only heard stories from Adrien and seen her in photos. There was that one time as well where she went to the movies with Adrien to see Emilie on the big screen for his first friendly outing. She remembered it being such a magical time for her, being with Adrien and knowing more about him, until that 'date' was ruined because someone at the zoo apparently let the animals run loose and the gorilla ended up breaking into the theater and creating pandemonium. Although Gabriel wasn't exactly keen on letting him out again after that and it honestly took months. Even though Marinette has never met Emilie personally, she feels as if the woman did so much for her. She saved her children from a coma, and kept Adrien well on his path back the light. That was everything Marinette could have ever asked for, "Emilie... I hope you'll forgive me for my incompetence since protecting my kids should be my job and not a job for someone who's dead..." Marinette chuckled but realized that comment was in poor taste, "ooh sorry. Well, in all seriousness, I should be thanking you, for making Adrien who he is: a wonderful, kind, willful man who has so much love to give. And he's pretty well endowed when it comes to looks, so thank you for that. However, more important than that, you shouldn't have to sacrifice your life to save our kids, but since you did, I hope you can rest in peace now knowing that we're walking towards our future together thanks to you." Marinette smiled sadly at the unmoving body one last time before walking off to the side, offering her rose to the alter and walking back to her seat next to Adrien, who had a big goofy grin on his face, "what?"

"Should we add yawning at a funeral to the list of the embarrassing things you've done?" Marinette swore that he had the most teasing, catty smirk on his face and she just wanted to wipe it off his face.

"Well, it beats yawning really loudly on the Startrain to London, remember that trip?" Marinette played along sullenly, but she swore she was gonna get him back.

"Yeah actually, almost two decades ago, when we were 15, I decided to be rebellious and go on that trip without telling my father. If I remember correctly, you were staring at me right?" Adrien recalled when he remembered that field trip they had all those years ago and Marinette nodded in response.

"Yeah, I was, and almost 2 decades later, I can admit that with just a little bit less embarrassment," Marinette sighed as she looked over at Adrien, who had a proud smirk on his face knowing he was right. However, she finally found some hint she can say something that can shut him up, "Those were the days, and ever since I left, when I think back, I will always thank your mom for making you so well endowed, if you know what I mean," Marinette glanced at Adrien with a sly smile to see him go completely red in the face. The appalled and flustered look on his face was almost too priceless to capture. She had to bite her tongue to keep herself from laughing at how Adrien looked adorably mad at her and she noticed how he glanced between her and and his crotch because he definitely got her implication.

"Mari! You thanked my mom for that at the casket!?" Adrien whispered harshly as he heard a few giggles from her, but honestly he didn't think it was a laughing matter, "now is hardly the time to be joking about things like that! I'm flattered yes, but that's so inappropriate!" He couldn't understand why she laughed even harder and clasped a hand over her mouth to keep herself from guffawing and attracting everyone's attention. He thought she would keep their private matters between them and not confide them in a deceased person, but here they were and Adrien felt like he could die from embarrassment.

"I'm so sorry Adrien, I- just give me a moment," Marinette wheezed as she caught her breath and continued to explain, "don't worry, I thanked your mom for endowing you with really good looks. That's what I meant, although, I don't get why you're complaining since we literally did it last night and she would be proud," Marinette smiled coyly as Adrien just blushed and pinched the bridge of his nose to process what she just said.

"Well, thank you for the good looks compliment," Adrien murmured as he ran a hand through his golden hair, "and now I know you just said that to me out of context because you knew I'd interpret it THAT way. But... grrr... of all the things you could have said," Adrien flushed and leaned back in his chair to take deep breaths. He then felt Marinette's head lean against his shoulder and he felt his anger ebb away from his body.

"I'm sorry Adrien, now I feel bad for saying that... there was a time when I couldn't imagine saying that to you. Now, we're just teasing each other relentlessly, and I do like how we've changed," Marinette sighed as Adrien listened and understood what she meant. When he thought about the girl that was stutter and mix up words around him, he would have never imagined that same girl be on equal terms of flirty banter with him.

"Well, I forgive you, but we can always talk about these things later and not at a funeral Mari," Adrien shot an accusing yet playful glare at her to which she giggled and sighed again. Then Adrien just had a thought, a thought that was a little embarrassing to ask but he did anyway, "So ummm... Mari... Out of curiosity, how was I?" Marinette snapped her head to him in shock for a moment before relaxing. She didn't really think he would be asking her that let alone continue the topic at a funeral.

"Well," Marinette started thoughtfully, and decided to throw him a bone, "you do certainly have a lot more experience than you let on. I really enjoyed last night with you since it's the first time we've made love since 15 years ago," Marinette could swear that his grin grew even wider and she could see it from ear to ear, "however we can save the details for a later time." Adrien nodded and Marinette could see that he looked really proud of himself. Damn him and his natural charisma and confidence.

"For sure my lady," Adrien replied back smoothly, and Marinette could feel the shivers of his statement up her spine. He was literally going to be the death of her, because sometimes he's really sweet and caring like the Adrien she knew when they were young and other times he's just oozing confidence and sexiness that it's really hard to ignore. The combination is deadly, and she understood that now. Next up was Emma, and boy did she have a lot to say to the person that saved her.

"Madame Emilie... what can I say? To think it would be my grand-mère who would save me when I was all alone. I remember we talked my fears... and we talked about yours, and you were afraid of leaving Papa all alone. I remember you said that you faintly remembered a little boy whose wish was to be free and live life to the fullest," Emma recalled as she didn't understand what Emilie meant at the time, but now she knew who she was talking about, "That was Papa wasn't it? It's a shame I didn't recognize you before when we were in the dream world. And yet you still guided me out and back with my family, and I wish we got to talk more too. I can't think of any way I could possibly repay you, but I hope you'll accept my thanks. Madame Emilie... Thank you... and please watch us from heaven," Emma sniffled as she wiped away and tear and left her rose at the altar. She then came back to hug her parents, who gladly took her into their arms. A feeling of warmth and togetherness filled her heart, and snuggling into their bodies, made her feel safe after a very long time.

"Emm, sweetie, are you ok?" Adrien asked as Emma wiped away her tears and smiled brightly at her dad.

"Yeah, because everything's gonna be fine now," Emma replied, turning around to sit back in seat between her parents and waited for her brothers to finish their parting words. Hugo walked up to the altar with his rose in hand, but his mind was absolutely going blank as he didn't know what to say. After a few more moments, he felt someone grab his hand and he looked up to find Louis looking down at him with a somber smile.

"You can't think of anything to say?" Louis asked as he looked towards the the altar and he saw his brother nod slowly out of the corner of his eye.

"I just... don't want to make my parting words really boring you know? Unlike you two, I didn't have her intervention or help. In that dream world, I was fighting through a maze of Gabriel Agreste's and all I could hear was reasons as to why I can't trust Papa," Hugo sighed exasperatedly, and Louis could feel the frustration from his brother, evident in the way Hugo tightened his grip around his hand, "It's hard to find the words when you're forced to find the words." Hugo leaned his head against Louis' arm and Louis tightened his lips in thought about what Hugo meant. He definitely understood because finding the words when they share no memories with the person, can definitely be tough.

"Hey... what if I just say my piece to her for the both of us? That way, you can say your condolences with me so you don't feel like you're just grasping at straws for words," Louis suggested and Hugo looked hopefully at his older brother.

"You'd do that for me?" Hugo asked and Louis nodded and squeezed Hugo's hand reassuringly.

"Yeah, so.. here goes," Louis took a deep breath and Hugo looked back at the altar as if waiting for Louis' words. The rest of the family watched endearingly at the two brothers say their parting words together, "Emilie... what could I say, how, could I possibly make it up to you for not being able to do more for you. You helped me conquer my fears and yet when it came down to it, you were condemned to that darkness, that abyss of nothingness forever," Hugo noticed his brother's shaky voice and glanced up at him to find Louis' eyes filled with regret, "You didn't deserve to die there... and I don't know what happened after Gabriel had me drown..." Louis recalled as Hugo gasped and gave his brother a pitiful look, "How could Gabriel... just let you die there? Wasn't this whole thing... wasn't his drive for everything that happened... wasn't it for you? Regardless... I'd like to thank you for everything that you have done, and thank you for bringing our Papa back to us. I'd like to think that the day Maman met Papa again after 15 years was fate and you were there to witness it too... Hugo do you want to say something?" Louis looked at his younger brother, who jumped slightly at his name but he nodded enthusiastically and he finally had an idea of what to say.

"Mmmhmm, so... Madame Emilie, I want to thank you for making Papa who he is today. He's a funny, kind, positive person who sees the good in everyone, and I'd like to think he got that from you," Hugo sighed, looking at Emilie's picture and seeing her face smile back at him made him feel like she was smiling at every word, "He wants to do everything he can to be a great dad, and I already love him so much despite not trusting him in the beginning. I hope you'll forgive me for doubting your son, but I truly see the good that you instilled in him. He makes me feel loved and a part of his life, and he was the piece that we were all missing. We have you to thank for him, and I hope you'll watch over us... wherever you are..." Hugo finished and looked at his brother to find Louis beaming at him with emotion. Louis laughed and ruffled his brother's hair, to which the latter whined and laughed along with him.

"Look at my brother with the words! That was beautiful Hugo, you did have the words after all!" Louis leaned down to see his brother's face, which was scrunched in concentration while trying to fix his hair.

"Well it was thanks to you that I finally found an idea. I really do hope that she's in a better place... whatever happened to her after you left that dark place," Hugo sighed and left his rose on the altar and returned to his seat with their parents. Louis looked back the altar and was about to set his rose down when he noticed a white butterfly flying around the casket in the coffin, its wings shimmering in the rays of sunlight that began to break through the clouds. The rays of sunshine was like a sign that the time of sadness was ending and a new era was going to begin. Louis, without thinking, held out his hand with his fingers outstretched, and shockingly, the butterfly fluttered closer to him and fluttered around his hand before gently landing on his index finger. Louis was careful not to move but he couldn't help but feel nostalgic when he looked at the white butterfly. The wind blew and carried the voices across the air to Louis' ears, and he swore he could hear a voice.

"Louis..."

"W-what, or w-w-who was that?" Louis snapped his head around to check for anyone who was trying to catch his attention but no one was.

"Louis... please know that your future... will be a happy one... you don't have to fear... being lost... any longer..." Louis heard the soft whisper in his ear and he looked at the butterfly again, who was spending an awful lot of time on his fingers. Suddenly, it hit him as to who that voice belonged to: it was Emilie's.

"Emilie?" Louis asked aloud as he noticed the butterfly flutter its wings in response to the name.

"Yes... so I see you finally hear me..." Louis could barely hear her voice, but that gentle sound was something he definitely did recognize.

"This... is absolutely insane, you're talking to me? Through a butterfly? This is like some sort of spirit intervention or something because I don't know how this is possible," Louis exclaimed as Emilie sensed the panic and confusion in him and tried to lay his fears to rest.

"I hardly... understand it myself, but I wanted to thank you for all your kind words, from all of you," Emilie murmured as her spirit thought about the end result to all of this, after the entire trial was done, "Adrien... I'm so glad to see him... making a life of his accord. He's truly happy now..." Louis heard her voice breaking and his smile fell a little bit into the sympathetic territory.

"So then you could Rest In Peace?" Louis wondered aloud and the butterfly fluttered in response.

"Yes... Louis, please promise me something..." Emilie asked as Louis nodded in response and waited for her proposition.

"Please enjoy your life with him, and guide him as a son and as a friend, because he has so much to learn from you," Emilie requested and at first, Louis was taken aback by the request, but with a big smile, he gratefully accepted.

"Of course... I'll be by his side no matter what!" Louis declared quietly as to not alert any other people that he's talking to a butterfly. Although, he had another thought in his head while he had Emilie here to talk to, "Emilie... if you don't mind... what happened to you after I left?"

The butterfly didn't answer for a moment and Louis was afraid that it might have been a touchy subject. Soon, Louis heard her voice again as Emilie decided to explain, "Louis... one thing I want you to understand is the despair that Gabriel felt that allowed him to visit that place... that cold and lonely place." Louis nodded slowly as his mind automatically filled with thoughts of loathing and unforgiveness for the man, and how could he ever understand the reasoning behind Gabriel's actions.

"Emilie... forgive me but, I don't need any justification for that man's actions," Louis stated firmly, noticing as the flapping of the butterfly's wings stilled. To be honest, he didn't really need to hear it at all, any sort of reason or tragic backstory, Gabriel made his choice to terrorize his family, and that was all he needed to know, "I don't see any redemption for that man, and it's his fault for being obsessed with the past."

"I could see it in his heart that he knew that waking me would an impossible dream... and that was the despair he felt," Emilie gently explained as Louis scrutinized her words a little further. It astounded him how no one had noticed that he was literally standing in front of Emilie's casket and had his hand up to talk to a butterfly for the past several minutes. Although everything about this interaction seemed otherworldly to him, almost ethereal like where he was speaking to Emilie in his own mind. Reality just didn't seem like it was real to him, like he was on another plane of existence.

"I understand that me, Hugo, and Emm were standing in his way to a future that he imagined differently, because we were essentially mistakes. He couldn't deal with the fact that Papa wanted to move on with his life..." Louis replied, and while they were airing out grievances, he figured he should also speak his mind on the matter, "and I don't want to live as if I'm a mistake... like I'm standing in the way of someone else's happiness and they would resort to murder to gain it. It's an awful existence to behold and I don't want to live with that regret, and I don't want Hugo and Emm to live with that kind of regret either. Our lives should be beautiful and full of promise and love! So that's why I'm not going to feel guilty for being alive!" Louis declared as he addressed the sinking feeling he's had this whole time. Saying it out loud, he couldn't help but feel that twinge of guilt for being a mistake, but he knew it wasn't true.

"You're right, and you shouldn't have regrets because of Gabriel... but when it comes down to it, Gabriel felt like he was completely alone because Adrien was moving on without him, and so he had to deal with the sorrow of my illness alone," Emilie replied as Louis sighed and nodded in understanding, "if you really wanted to know what transpired after you left me on those shores, then I will show you," The butterfly flapped its wings and took off from Louis' finger and it felt like the world was becoming distorted around Louis. He could still see the reality of the funeral, but everything around him was in a hazy, milky white mist. Suddenly, the butterfly flew right beside him and materialized into Emilie herself.

"What the-?" Louis started but Emilie gestured to the scene in front of him and he looked at those familiar black shores with the waters lapping against them ever so quietly. He saw the unmistakable giant moon that he saw in the sky, ever fixed on the low hanging position. Louis recognized the black rock formations that surrounded the small bay, and he remembered how they faintly glowed with a iridescent light. He saw Emilie on the floor, supposedly collapsing from grief at what had just occurred seconds ago. Louis saw Gabriel standing beside her, and he could clearly hear their ensuing conversation.

"It had to be done..." Gabriel murmured as Emilie looked down in her lap and clenched her fists.

"No! It didn't! That boy! He had so much life to live! Are you that bitter and that selfish that you would ruin Adrien's future just to repair your own?" Emilie asked as Gabriel sighed with no response. It was as if there was no difference between right and wrong for him.

"I guess I am..." Gabriel stared solemnly at the lapping waters, which showed no sign that a child was just thrown into it, and it just an eerie silence after. For all they know, Louis must have drowned in the waters.

"How... how could do that to him... that is Adrien's son and our grandchild!" Emilie exclaimed, shutting her eyes in guilt as she couldn't watch the waters anymore. She didn't know if time functioned the same way in this place, but too much time had passed for Louis to come up, so he must drowned.

"Adrien is making a mistake, and at this rate, his future will be completely built upon accidents! Do you want that?!" Gabriel replied back sharply as he looked away from the waters to look at Emilie who didn't reply for a few moments, so Gabriel decided to continue for her, "Louis was an accident on that fateful night 15 years ago, and the twins were also a mistake. Is that the kind of life you wanted for Adrien?" To this question, Emilie had an answer for.

"He... is an adult now, and he gets to decide his own happiness, and his happiness was always with her, Madame Marinette. Whether you think it was an accident or not... I think it was meant to be," Emilie felt herself tear up as she continued talking, she felt like she was opening so many floodgates of wishes that she wanted to say Adrien. Sadly, she would never get to say any of them to her son, "you just didn't want to accept the fact that the world you were trying to create with Adrien and me was slipping from your control. The twin's insemination was your fault and you have the gall to say that they were a mistake!" Gabriel froze up when he heard that last part and Louis narrowed his eyes at him for the behavior. He was instantly reminded of the time when he found out in court that it was his fault. He remembered the shock on the jury's faces and most of all, the anger on his mom's face and the rage that he witnessed.

"Perhaps I just didn't want to let go... and all I wanted to do was what's best for Adrien," Gabriel started to say but he heard a contemplating sigh from Emilie as if it was a question of what he said was the actual truth or not.

"I don't believe that you wanted the best for Adrien," Emilie started, causing Gabriel to look at her incredulously while still maintaining the stoic expression he always has on his face, "I believe you wanted what was best for the family within the lens of societal expectations, but it's not the same thing as wanting what's best for Adrien. You can't just keep things frozen until I wake up... Life doesn't work like that," Emilie wiped a tear away from her eye because she felt a longing within herself, a longing to be alive, but she knows that's no longer possible for her now.

"I see..." Gabriel replied quietly as Louis and Emilie watched the two of them, noticing that this conversation was coming to an end soon, "Then it's time to see this through to the end.." the Emilie on the beach looked at Gabriel questioningly as the man started to walk towards the waters.

"Wait, Gabriel, what are you doing?" Emilie asked, standing up so she could catch up to him. She noticed that he sighed once she caught up to him and turned his head to look at her solemnly.

"That boy will survive... and it's his destiny to face me one last time to save his family," Gabriel murmured forebodingly as he looked at Emilie one last time with a fond look, a look she hadn't seen in years, "Emilie... I will say it again... you don't belong here, and please watch Adrien from above, you don't need to keep sacrificing yourself. I've seen enough... and you've done enough."

Emilie stared into his eyes to find no hidden malice there, just a genuine last request for her to rest in a better place, "Gabriel... I hope you'll do the right thing when the time comes... and may you find a new path for yourself and finally look to the future. Good bye... I'll miss you..." Emilie cried as Gabriel frowned at her crying and reached his arms out to lay them on her shoulders to comfort her.

"And good bye Emilie... I hope to join you in that beautiful place where you've gone when it's time," Gabriel brought her closer to wrap his arms around her to say goodbye. Emilie shut her eyes harder when she heard that, and that's when she understood. Hearing that broke her heart, because he wanted to join her when he finally gave up on everything. She felt her body become light as they separated and they just looked at each other for a long time. The world faded around them and Emilie felt her consciousness was fading. The image of her husband was something she wanted to immortalize forever, but even that was fading. It was like she was waking up from a dream, but she felt like she forgetting everything. It was white, and then it was nothing.

"Oh Emilie... I'm so sorry..." Louis started as he felt the world around them become to phase back to reality, but when he looked to his right to where she was standing, there was nothing, "Emilie?" Louis asked as he felt his whole body go into shock and he found himself holding his hand up with a butterfly perched on his finger again, "what just happened?" Louis thought to himself as he stared at the butterfly again and watched it as it fluttered its wings and lifted off of his finger. Louis looked on with a remorseful expression, watching the butterfly fly off into the distance, and he could feel the sun rays break through the clouds. He felt someone come up behind him and he turned slightly to find a concerned Adrien checking up on him.

"Louis? Are you ok? You've been standing there for a while," Adrien noted as Louis raised his eyebrows in surprise and looked back at his hand to find it still outstretched for the butterfly. Louis then noticed the white butterfly coming back and slowly landing on his finger, "woah, I've always seen butterflies do this in movies or photos, but I've never seen this happen in real life!"

Louis realized that was actually true and thought how special it must have been to share this moment with his dad. He also couldn't hear any voice anymore so he assumed that telepathy thing must have been some supernatural, once in a lifetime kinda thing, "Yeah... it's really something..."

Adrien raised an eyebrow at his response and decided to push a little further, "We also noticed you were talking to it too, what was that about?" Louis froze up as he realized how it must have looked to his family that he was talking with a butterfly.

"It feels like a sign... that things are gonna be better from now on..." Louis replied softly as the two watched the butterfly leave his finger again and fly off over the lake and eventually it was too small to see. Adrien wrapped an arm around Louis and brought him closer to his side and Louis appreciatively leaned into his shoulder.

"I completely agree... and you know... all my mom ever wanted was for us to be happy, and now... she can rest in peace," Adrien agreed as he felt Louis nod and looked down at his son, who looked back up at him. The two then smiled and looked back out over the lake for a while, enjoying each other's company. Soon the funeral was over and the entire gang went out to eat. Literally everyone was there: all of Marinette's old friends, Tom and Sabine, the children, and even Dr. Fu, which was odd. It was at a buffet so everyone could celebrate at a very long table, since most restaurants couldn't accommodate that many people. Soon, Alya made a toast and raised her glass to honor Marinette. Everyone turned their attention to Alya as she talked and Marinette felt a bit embarrassed about it.

"A toast, to Marinette, a dear friend that we thought we would never see again. I remember the day you disappeared and it was absolutely heartbreaking... and it was a tidal wave of reactions in the following days, and it just got so much worse. We were told that you decided to leave out of the blue and disappeared without a trace. And now after 15 years, you came back... and you were so different. We thought you were such an enigma because there were so many questions left unanswered, and when the truth came to light... that just made things so much more overwhelming not just for you but for all of us," Alya spoke as her overwhelming feelings were poured into her words seamlessly. All of these thoughts and words just came naturally and all she wanted was for Marinette to know how proud she is of her, "I... am so proud of your journey and what you have done and sacrificed to get here. I knew you could do it, because I've always had faith in you," Marinette looked at her best friend with an emotional appreciation and stood up to hug her best friend. They hugged for a few moments before letting go and Alya signaled Marinette to say something if she wanted to. Marinette looked around at all of her friends and family and was overwhelmed by all of the warm, smiling faces in the room.

"Alright," Marinette started, holding her champagne glass nervously in her hands, "first of all, I wanted to thank you all for the love and support in this room, I never imagined that my life... could be fixed, but here we are," Marinette looked off into a random point in space as she thought about what she wanted to say, "in the years that I spent away from you all, I always wondered how I could be there for my kids and protect them when I was living in fear and terror. Like how could I even be strong for them... but then I learned this saying: E Pluribus Unum, Out of Many, One. It is said that it originated from the Roman writer Cicero, about family and friends. When one individual loves another as much as they love themselves, it makes one out of many. As I look around this room," Marinette looked around at all of her family and friends, who she could see were tearing up at her speech, "I understand what it means.. out of many... one. You are all part of my journey and you all helped bring me back," Marinette's voice broke off in a small sob, trying to suck up her tears quickly before continuing, "I spent so many years, wondering if I would ever see any of you again and now I don't have to worry about being separated from any of you ever again... and... I hope you all will forgive me for dying all those years ago... and coming back as someone you don't recognize... thank you." Marinette tried to wipe away her tears but they just kept coming and she saw Louis, Hugo, and Emma immediately rise from their seats in their own tears to comfort her. She brought them all in for a hug and she felt an extra pair of arms wrap around them; she then turned her head to find Adrien smiling down at her. It just felt like all these years of bottling up her fear and trauma just came crashing down and she couldn't believe that it was over.

"Oh Maman... that was a wonderful speech," Louis murmured as he brought his hand up to wipe her tears away. With her words still ringing in his ears, he realized how much of a dream this was to his mom. She lived by herself for 15 years, raising three kids on her own, living out of fear for their lives. To be surrounded by her old friends, by people that cared so much for her, it was so surreal; after all, Marinette had almost been murdered three times and she lived by herself like a hermit. It was like she was brought back to a new world, that was familiar at the same time.

"You deserved better Mari, after everything that happened, it takes... incredible strength to still look forward, and we are all proud of you," Chloe stated firmly as she looked around the table to garner agreement from everyone: Luka, Kagami, Alya, Nino, Ivan, Mylene, Max, Rose, Juleka, Kim, Tom, Sabine, Gavin, Elena, Constantine, and the other kids. Frankly, there were a lot of people at that dinner.

"Chloe's right Mari, and I know this will take a while to get used to," Adrien said as Marinette kissed the heads of their three children and they all sat down. Adrien gently grabbed her hand under the table and squeezed it to reassure her. Marinette looked down at the gesture and smiled gratefully, "but trust me when I say that I'm so glad we found our way back to each other."

"Yeah..." Marinette couldn't help the big grin on her face as she raised her glass to celebrate the new beginning with everyone. There were smiles all around and excited murmuring for Marinette's return to her old life. Although, as everyone else was engaging in cheer and merriment, Marinette had a sinking feeling that the trauma of all these past years wouldn't so easily fade, nor did she expect it to, "Still... I'm still gonna need so much therapy..." Marinette murmured to herself, laughing to herself about the prospect. For now, she was just gonna focus on stuffing her face, because after all, she deserves it!


End file.
